My “office” this morning. It’s another cold and cloudy day in Grand Rapids. Our local weather reporter tells us it’s cloudier in Grand Rapids than it is in Seattle. Or, to put it another way, we sometimes go three weeks without seeing the sun. No wander we’re all pallid and depressed. Nothing that a little … [Read more…]
This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 in E Major (WAB 107) is Dutch conductor Bernard Haitink (1929-). The orchestra is Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. I first encountered Maestro Haitink on Day 5 , Symphony No. 1, of my 144-day project. Then again on Day 21, Symphony No. 2. And again on Day 37, … [Read more…]
Two things I enjoy quite a bit: an empty restaurant early in the morning…combined with an empty space online awaiting my next blog entry. I’m a morning person. No doubt about it. I love getting up well before the sun and going out somewhere to begin my day. So here I sit listening to Bruckner, … [Read more…]
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…]
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…]
This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) is Bernard Haitink (1929-), a Dutch conductor and former violinist. I first encountered Mr. Haitink on Day 5 of my 144-day journey. On that day, I discovered Mr. Haitink conducted his first concert in 1954 – 62 years ago. I also … [Read more…]
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…]