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Bruckner No. 7
Anton Bruckner

Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra / Bernard Haitink

Bruckner No. 7

Price: € 20.95
Format: SACD
Label: Challenge Classics
UPC: 0608917289527
Catnr: CC 72895
Release date: 08 October 2021
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Label
Challenge Classics
UPC
0608917289527
Catalogue number
CC 72895
Release date
08 October 2021

"Classical Source described the performance as 'an enriching, inexorable voyage, no other view seeming conceivable or needed'."

Presto, 01-10-2021
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Artist(s)
Composer(s)
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About the album

Bernard Haitink was born and educated in Amsterdam. His conducting career began at the Netherlands Radio where in 1957 he became the Chief Conductor of the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. The links between Bernard Haitink and the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra have withstood the test of time, even when his career was taking him all over the world. One fine example of this was Berlioz’s Damnation of Faust in 1998, later issued on CD (CC 72517). He returned on 15 June 2019, when he gave his very last concert in Amsterdam, with Bruckner Symphony no. 7, a work that has always been especilly dear to him.
Dit is een wel heel bijzonder album. Het is de live opname van het historische afscheidsconcert van de wereldberoemde Nederlandse dirigent Benard Haitink op 15 juni 2019. Op het hoogtepunt van zijn carrière maakte Haitink de cirkel rond. Hij eindigde glorieus bij het orkest waar hij in 1957 als chef begon: het Radio Filharmonisch Orkest. De banden tussen Bernard Haitink en het Radio Filharmonisch Orkest hebben de tand des tijds doorstaan, zelfs toen zijn carrière hem over de hele wereld bracht.

Voor dit allerlaatste concert in Nederland koos Haitink voor een van zijn meest geliefde werken, de Zevende symfonie van Anton Bruckner, een stuk waarop hij als achtjarige jongen verliefd werd. In de, tot de laatste stoel bezette, zaal van Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam werd het een gedenkwaardige NTR ZaterdagMatinee.

'Het was de combinatie, de samenloop, de culminatie en wat al niet meer. De 90-jarige maestro: superieur, op handen gedragen door zijn musici, als altijd dienstbaar aan de muziek. Het besef: het afscheid van een van ’s werelds grootste dirigenten. De muziek zelf: tot in de puntjes beheerst, subliem vertolkt. Na het slotakkoord: Haitink dwong een enkele tellen durend eerbetoon aan de stilte af en daarna barstte het los. Gejuich, uitzinnig applaus, tranen alom.’ Zo staat te lezen op de site van de Stichting Omroep Muziek.

Als Anton Bruckner met zijn Derde symfonie openlijk zijn voorliefde voor Wagner heeft betoond, komt hem dat op zware kritiek te staan van mensen die muziek puur willen houden, die vinden dat muziek niet mag verhalen. Maar de componist trekt zich daar niets van aan en gaat door met zijn Vierde symfonie. Hij sleutelt er nog jaren aan om het werk te perfectioneren.

Ook in zijn Zevende symfonie blijft de romantische inborst van Bruckner waarneembaar. Qua vorm is de Zevende misschien wel de meest perfecte. De lengte blijft voor sommigen een probleem. Een recensent noemt het werk een symfonische vierluik, waarvan elk deel afzonderlijk de dood van het orkest zou kunnen betekenen. Maar juist Bernard Haitink weet als geen ander hoe een dirigent een orkest – zijn orkest – kan laten spélen, de muziek kan laten ademen zonder overbodige ingrepen. Haitink kent deze muziek van binnenuit.

Bernard Haitink is geboren en geschoold in Amsterdam. De dirigent van de grote muzikale spanningsbogen en een subliem oog voor zowel de grote lijnen als de details in de muziek, kende een gevarieerd repertoire met ook eigentijdse muziek. Haitink houdt van de Franse muziek van componisten als Debussy en Ravel, maar hij dirigeerde vooral werken van Duitse en Oostenrijkse componisten uit de classicistische en laatromantische periodes. Met dit album brengt Haitink een meesterwerk ten gehore, dat nergens beter tot zijn recht had kunnen komen dan in het Amsterdamse Concertgebouw, uitgevoerd door de wereldklasse musici van zijn eigen Radio Filharmonisch Orkest.
Bernard Haitink wurde in Amsterdam geboren und ausgebildet. Seine Dirigentenlaufbahn begann beim Niederländischen Rundfunk, wo er 1957 Chefdirigent des Radio Philharmonic Orchestra wurde. Die Verbindungen zwischen Bernard Haitink und der Radiophilharmonie haben den Anforderungen der Zeit standgehalten, auch als seine Karriere ihn durch die Welt führte. Ein schönes Beispiel dafür war Berlioz' "Verdammnis des Faust" im Jahr 1998, das später auf CD erschien (CC 72517). Am 15. Juni 2019, als er sein allerletztes Konzert in Amsterdam gab, kehrte er mit Bruckners Symphonie Nr. 7, ein Werk, das ihm immer besonders am Herzen lag.

Artist(s)

Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra

The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra gave its first concert on 7 October 1945, led by its founder and ‘first conductor‘ Albert van Raalte, on Radio “Herrijzend Nederland”. Initially the orchestra spent most of its time in studios working on a large number of recordings for the public broadcasting system. The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic featured prominently in the Saturday Matinee as soon as the series started in 1961, and has continued to give frequent live performances ever since. The celebrated Saturday Matinee has hosted many legendary concerts. Illustrious soloists such as Kathleen Ferrier, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Clara Haskil and Jean-Pierre Rampal have shared the stage with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2004, the three classical orchestral formations of the broadcasting 15 system...
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The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra gave its first concert on 7 October 1945, led by its founder and ‘first conductor‘ Albert van Raalte, on Radio “Herrijzend Nederland”. Initially the orchestra spent most of its time in studios working on a large number of recordings for the public broadcasting system. The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic featured prominently in the Saturday Matinee as soon as the series started in 1961, and has continued to give frequent live performances ever since. The celebrated Saturday Matinee has hosted many legendary concerts. Illustrious soloists such as Kathleen Ferrier, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Clara Haskil and Jean-Pierre Rampal have shared the stage with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 2004, the three classical orchestral formations of the broadcasting 15 system were transformed into two: the present Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic. In 2006, these two orchestras, the Netherlands Radio Choir and the Metropole Orchestra joined the Dutch public broadcasting organisation NPO.
The Radio Philharmonic Orchestra has been conducted by great names such as Bernard Haitink, Jean Fournet, Hans Vonk, Sergiu Comissiona and Edo de Waart. Jaap van Zweden was named its chief conductor in September 2005. The orchestra has also worked with numerous famed guest conductors such as Leopold Stokowski, Kirill Kondrashin, Antál Dorati, Riccardo Muti, Kurt Masur and Valery Gergiev. Soon after its founding, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic found itself foremost in Dutch musical life in the number of performances and the diversity of its repertoire, with a predilection for Dutch and contemporary works in its programming. It has honed another facet of its striking profile with a great many opera concertante performances. The orchestra has an extensive discography, ranging from legendary LPs recorded in the 1970s under such conductors as Leopold Stokowski and Antal Doráti to Jean Fournet’s much-lauded renderings of French repertoire. Under Edo de Waart, not only did it release its legendary Wagner interpretations, but also the complete orchestral works of Rachmaninov. CDs with work by contemporary composers such as Jonathan Harvey, Klas Torstensson, Jan van Vlijmen and Stravinsky have garnered prizes and much acclaim.

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Bernard Haitink (conductor)

Bernard Haitink was born in Amsterdam and his interest in music was first stimulated when, as a child, he would go to hear concerts given by the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra under Willem Mengelberg. At the age of nine he started to have violin lessons, which he continued at the Amsterdam Conservatory, where he also studied conducting with Felix Hupka. He joined the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra as a violinist but in 1954 and 1955 attended the annual courses for conductors organised by the Netherlands Radio Union, at which he studied with Ferdinand Leitner. This experience led directly to his appointment in 1955 as second conductor with the Union, sharing responsibility for four radio orchestras. Mr Haitink first attracted attention when in...
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Bernard Haitink was born in Amsterdam and his interest in music was first stimulated when, as a child, he would go to hear concerts given by the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra under Willem Mengelberg. At the age of nine he started to have violin lessons, which he continued at the Amsterdam Conservatory, where he also studied conducting with Felix Hupka. He joined the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra as a violinist but in 1954 and 1955 attended the annual courses for conductors organised by the Netherlands Radio Union, at which he studied with Ferdinand Leitner. This experience led directly to his appointment in 1955 as second conductor with the Union, sharing responsibility for four radio orchestras.
Mr Haitink first attracted attention when in 1956 he substituted for Carlo Maria Giulini in a performance of Cherubini’s Requiem with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, as a result of which he was invited to be a guest conductor at some of the orchestra’s regular concerts. Having become principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in the following year, he made his American debut in 1958, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and first appeared in Britain in 1959, on a tour with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, with whom he made his first recording during the same year.
Following the unexpected death of the Concertgebouw Orchestra’s chief conductor Eduard van Beinum, also in 1959, Haitink and Eugen Jochum were appointed joint chief conductors of the orchestra in 1961. This arrangement lasted until 1963, when Haitink assumed full responsibility for the orchestra, also becoming a guest conductor with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He was appointed chief conductor of the LPO in 1967 and, between 1970 and 1979 he was also it's artistic director. Haitink made his debut at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1972, conducting Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and returned to lead Die Zauberflöte in 1973 and Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress in 1975. Two years later he succeeded Sir John Pritchard as the Festival’s chief conductor, a post that he retained until 1988. While at Glyndebourne Haitink conducted a repertoire that included Beethoven’s Fidelio, Richard Strauss’s Arabella, Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges and Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in addition to the principal Mozart operas.
Having first appeared with the Royal Opera Company at Covent Garden in 1977 conducting Don Giovanni, and at the Metropolitan Opera in 1982 with Fidelio, Haitink maintained his association with Covent Garden, conducting performances of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, Janáček’s Jenůfa and Wagner’s Lohengrin and Parsifal, and was appointed the company’s chief conductor in 1987. Although he suffered terribly during the traumas of the closure and rebuilding of the Royal Opera House between 1997 and 1999, arguably it was his principled stand that prevented the Covent Garden orchestra and chorus from being disbanded during this period. While in command at the Royal Opera, both before and after the closure, Haitink conducted memorable accounts of the major elements of the traditional operatic repertoire, such as Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Tristan und Isolde, Verdi’s Don Carlo and Falstaff, Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Borodin’s Prince Igor, Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades and Britten’s Peter Grimes. He also took the orchestra out of the opera house and led it in several notable orchestral concerts.
In addition to his operatic work in London, Haitink maintained an active concert schedule. As well as regularly appearing as a guest conductor with major orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic of which he is an honorary member, London Symphony, and Vienna Philharmonic, between 1994 and 1999 he was chief conductor of the European Union Youth Orchestra, and in 1995 was appointed principal guest conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra where he is currently conductor emeritus. Haitink relinquished his post at Covent Garden in 2002, becoming chief conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle and also honorary conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra – the first time that such a title had been awarded in the history of the orchestra. In 2006 he took up the newly-created post of principal conductor with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Among the many honours Haitink has received during his long career are an honorary knighthood in 1977, the Erasmus Prize in Holland in 1991, and the Order of the House of Orange-Nassau, conferred upon him by the Queen of The Netherlands for his achievements in the arts; in 2002 he was made a Companion of Honour by Her Majesty the Queen of England.
Haitink’s reserved exterior is deceptive when it comes to making music. in works with which he identifies deeply, such as the symphonies of Mahler, he is able to deliver performances of great power and passion. He is without question one of the finest conductors of the symphonies of Bruckner, possessing complete command of their individual musical architecture.
Haitink has been such a ubiquitous figure in European and American musical life that it has been easy to take him for granted; this is to do him a major injustice. As his extensive recorded repertoire demonstrates, he stands in the direct line of the great European conductors of earlier generations such as Richter, Nikisch, Weingartner and Mengelberg.

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Composer(s)

Anton Bruckner

Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, strongly polyphonic character, and considerable length. Bruckner's compositions helped to define contemporary musical radicalism, owing to their dissonances, unprepared modulations, and roving harmonies. Bruckner was greatly admired by subsequent composers including his friend Gustav Mahler, who described him as 'half simpleton, half God'. Coming from a small farmer's village, Bruckner started his music education early, which he continued for a long time. Due to a mix of insecurity and eagerness to learn, Bruckner rushed from one study into another and he showed himself as a fanatic, but also remarkably talented,...
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Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, strongly polyphonic character, and considerable length. Bruckner's compositions helped to define contemporary musical radicalism, owing to their dissonances, unprepared modulations, and roving harmonies. Bruckner was greatly admired by subsequent composers including his friend Gustav Mahler, who described him as "half simpleton, half God".

Coming from a small farmer's village, Bruckner started his music education early, which he continued for a long time. Due to a mix of insecurity and eagerness to learn, Bruckner rushed from one study into another and he showed himself as a fanatic, but also remarkably talented, student. He started composing at an early age, but he considered everything before his 39th as mere practice. Bruckner never became a stable composer and relied on in short phases of creative energy. After these phases, he would spend ages revising his work. In particular his symphonies received countless revisions and new editions, which was also due to his insecurity, he was quite sensitive to criticism.

The premier of his Third Symphony was a disaster: a large part of the audience left the concert hall and a devastating review appeared afterwards. Luckily, appreciation for his work grew and at the time of his death, even the great Brahms attended his funeral.


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Press

Classical Source described the performance as 'an enriching, inexorable voyage, no other view seeming conceivable or needed'.
Presto, 01-10-2021

It is clear that the recording with the RFO can certainly stand next to the other recordings Haitink made of the piece, or even surpass them, assuming, certainly, that this is a genuine live event and nothing has been edited.
Het Parool, 30-9-2021

Sovereign remains sovereign. And this album a document.
De Volkskrant, 30-9-2021

After an eloquent Adagio and a fairly stodgy Scherzo, he reaches his highest level of alertness in the finale....I felt a welling up of affection for Bernard Haitink as I listened to this release.
Fanfare Magazine, 01-3-2022

...the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra bring to Bruckner the eloquence of mystical clarity, moreover with a sonorous flavor, a work of instrumental texture, ideally balanced.
Classiquenews.com, 01-2-2022

And the breadth of breath necessary especially in the first half is perfectly captured. In the Scherzo the contrast between the first and third parts and the wonderful central Trio has splendid poetic evidence.
Classic Voice, 20-1-2022

What we have is a fine, detailed performance
BBC Music Magazine, 17-1-2022

This registration allows us to experience the afternoon of gratitude.
De Volkskrant, 21-12-2021

By the way, taken as a whole, this account is excellent and will delight any Brucknerian. The recording is outstanding, so accomplishing a disc that looks like a perfect homage to this great conductor that just left us.  
Scherzo, 01-12-2021

The performances are more subtle than dramatic and the fire is created in part by the very direct recording
Luister, 01-12-2021

For me a life without music is unthinkable
Klassieke Zaken, 01-12-2021

The brittle conductor received a standing ovation on attendance
Klassieke Zaken, 01-12-2021

Bernard Haitink signs for intimate moments that glisten with loving details, while at the same time building powerful cathedrals of sound and expression. A great achievement, especially for the orchestra that really surpasses itself.
De Gelderlander, 20-10-2021

there is nothing about this to dislike; it is steady, calm Bruckner which builds inexorably to climaxes and trips along winningly in the bucolic passages.
Musicweb International, 13-10-2021

Legendary, emotional and unforgettable.
The Violin Channel, 13-10-2021

Suppleness and lyricism characterize this very fine version of the symphony. Haitink brings out the melodies and the colors.
Pizzicato, 08-10-2021

We hear a beautiful, perfectly sized Seventh by a fantastic orchestra, led by a wonderful Bruckner conductor.
Opus Klassiek, 24-9-2021

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Often bought together with..

Erich Wolfgang Korngold
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 26 | String Quartet No. 3, Op. 34 (vinyl)
Alma Quartet
Johann Sebastian Bach, Daan Manneke
Goldberg Variations
Hannes Minnaar
Ludwig van Beethoven
The Unreleased Beethoven Recital 1959
Claudio Arrau
Eric Vloeimans, Martin Fondse
Evensong
Eric Vloeimans / The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra / Jurjen Hempel
Franz Schubert
Song Cycles - Die schöne Müllerin / Schwanengesang / Winterreise
Christoph Prégardien / Andreas Staier / Michael Gees
Various composers
Nox
Hannes Minnaar

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