To mark the 90th birthday of the eminent conductor Bernard Haitink, this representative portrait is being released by BR-KLASSIK. These exceptional live recordings document the...

To mark the 90th birthday of the eminent conductor Bernard Haitink, this representative portrait is being released by BR-KLASSIK. These exceptional live recordings document the long-standing and intensive collaboration between the Dutch conductor, the Bavarian Radio Chorus and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks. For six decades now, ever since he first conducted a Munich subscription concert in 1958, Bernard Haitink has repeatedly conducted the city’s orchestras - sometimes in the Herkulessaal of the Residenz, sometimes in the Philharmonie im Gasteig. The orchestras’ musicians and singers are just as happy to work with him as the Bayerischer Rundfunk’s sound engineers – a tribute to Bernard Haitink by his long-time recording manager Wolfram Gaul can be found in the accompanying booklet.

This release provides an excellent overview of their collaboration on masterpieces of the First Viennese School as well as German-Austrian Late Romanticism: outstanding compositions by Beethoven, Bruckner, Haydn and Mahler. The release includes complete recordings of Beethoven's "Missa solemnis", Bruckner's Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6, Haydn's oratorios "The Seasons" and "The Creation" and Mahler's Symphonies Nos. 3, No. 4 and No. 9. Numerous renowned vocal soloists and the Augsburg Domsingknaben all perform under Haitink's direction, together with the Bavarian Radio Chorus and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.

REVIEW:

The Beethoven and Haydn performances are absolute crackers...and cause to marvel at not only Haitink’s longevity but also the way his approach to music can deepen and develop as he gains in years and wisdom. For them alone, this set is highly recommended, and that’s before we even talk about the price, which is an absolute bargain when you consider how much the discs cost when they were released individually. This set celebrates a great partnership of a great orchestra and a great conductor.

–MusicWeb International