Day 69: Symphony No. 5 in B Flat Major (Haitink)

Ladies and gents, this is what my wife and I encountered this morning at 6am when we pulled into the parking lot of a local restaurant to sit, sip some coffee, and listen to Haitink’s interpretation of Bruckner’s Fifth. Welcome to Hell – I mean, Michigan – in early December. This morning’s conductor of Anton … [Read more…]

Day 37: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (Haitink)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (WAB 103), nicknamed “Wagner,” is Dutch conductor Bernard Haitink (1929-). The orchestra is Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. I encountered Mr. Haitink twice before: On Day 5 and on Day 21. In both cases, I was pleasantly surprised (to say the least). On Day 5, … [Read more…]

Day 5: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor (Haitink)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 1 in C Minor (WAB 101) is Netherlands-born Bernard Haitink (1929-), who conducted his first concert in 1954. Haitink’s entry on Wikipedia tells us he has something in common with another conductor I’ll be listening to very shortly: His conducting debut with the Concertgebouw Orchestra was on … [Read more…]