Mahler Symphony No.8 - Ending of Part 1 - Haitink/ACO

[beatrusa]

fantastic music!

[melbapatti]

All kidding about pizza aside, Mr. Haitink definitely gets the tempo of this finale all wrong. What a shame. Do you see his line-up of soloists???? Shheeesh!!! Just imagine the climax they could have given him if he had not dragged the tempo so badly. These grand Mahlerian finales (like the finale of the 2nd Symphony) MUST move forward.  The forward movement is the life-force of the music. Can't rush, can't drag. Bernstein and Chung GET it.

[imsleepyanddead]

@melbapatti Unless Mahler specifically wrote it in the music (which he almost always does in exact instructions), then that's up to who ever is performing. Unless you're a mahler scholar or performer, I'd take haitink's word over yours.

[mvuorsalo82]

Total MADNESS at the end of this mvt. The "Drengend" is taken WAY too seriously! It does NOT signify an accelerando to hysterical speeds, but merely a "enlivement" to the tempo, as so not to drag the ending, and make it sound as if the musicians actually ARE praising The Creator Spirit!

[sayhi2death]

wayyyyyy too slow too be honest lol

[njm12]

Such an amazing piece and Concertgebouw is one of my favorite orchestras of all time! My only minor complaint is that I cannot hear the off-stage brass quarter notes in m. 96 (possibly a recording issue?) Other than that, simply amazing!

For those that are interested, Concertgebouw also has great recordings of Shastakovitch 5 and 9 that are absolutely incredible.

[taviona]

I just saw this live and it's so damn loud. But pretty cool.

[rudhouse]

I am fan of Haitink since I heard his Don Giovanni with Allen and Vaness on EMI. I find his attention to details unsurpassed

[grabit1]

Haitink is our greatest living conductor, and has been for three decades. He's like the Richard Widmark of conductors. He won't promote himself. You have to find this out on your own.

[etucker82]

The Richard Widmark of conductors is one phrase I never thought I'd ever hear in any context.

[japanesesweet]

This is great! reminds me a bit of Kubelik`s approach.

[grabit1]

I meant to say Brucker's 5th. And I can't even remember if you were the one I responded to in the first place. Too much inexpensive Trader Joe's wine, from European sources.

But what I really meant to convey is that Haitink in Brucker is at least equal, if not better, than Haitink in Mahler.

"How may symphonies did Bruckner compose?"

Trick question.

[MahlerBruckner]

But of course. Bruckner wrote 11 symphonies. 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and the Study Symphony.

[grabit1]

How many symphonies Bruckner composed is always a trick question.

How many versions were there of 1 through 9, including the Nulte and the Student Symphony?

But you are on track.

[vikifanclub]

Wow!!! Many experts here I see:))))

[Alexias030692]

For those of you who are asking about the gesture Haitink does at 00:27 and 00:28, it was purely intentional. He was gesturing to a guy offstage to put a previously ordered pizza into the microwave.

[buiteman]

Haitink was and still is the worlds foremost authority on the Mahler repertoire. His recordings of the symphonies with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam are absolutely amazing even if they are somewhat dated. Absolute perfection.

[otterhouse]

Pity it's such a short fragment though....

-----------------------------

Rolf, Netherlands.

I am a collector of classical 78's and lp's

Click "otterhouse" above to see (and hear!)

some of my collection.

[grabit1]

And Bruckner and a lot of other composers, too. And this was a guy who, despite the praise four decades ago, was still considered too "phlegmatic." But of course he didn't have a full head of hair or ski in Switzerland like Karajan.

Reminds me of Mark Twain's quotation of coming home after a few years living away rebelliously. And I praphrase, of course. "I was surprised to find out how much the old man had learned."

[grabit1]

Not to mention the Bruckner.

His recording of the 5th from about 1990 or so is the best ever recorded.

In fact, I've worn my CD out. Time to get a new one.

[cykill1000]

This is quite a good performance, and grabit1 your quite right about Americans not knowing enough cause I think that Sir Haitink (he was knighted for all of his work with the London Phil just in case you didn't know) is one of the most well rounded conductors in the world. I think people should look up to him as an example for how to be a good conductor. I'd say pretty much every recording or dvd that i've seen of him is good even if there is a mistake every once in a while.

[grabit1]

Trust me, I know. I've listened to Haitink for over 40 years, before I was a teenager. He was once considered too careful, not daring enough. Simple nonsense. By his own admission, he matured rather slowly. As Artur Rubenstein once responded when asked why he tossed a few clunkers into the wastebasket (as he always did) and wasn't techincally perfect at all times, "Well, that's not making music."

His Mahler 9 from almost 40 years ago is still the best. Bernstein's bleeding heart--no.

[cykill1000]

Indeed, as for the Mahler 9 I've got it and I like it alot especially for a recording of that time period. As it stands I quite in love with the Abbado and Rattle recordings right now. Haitinks still holds up to the test of time and I'm glad he's still "doing it". Have you heard his newest Mahler 3 with Chicago?

[grabit1]

I haven't yet, but I will. His Mahler 3rd with the BPO was great, too, but Phillips couldn't stick around for the finish of the cycle.

[cykill1000]

I believe that I've heard it but I can't remember. I was just listening to his Mahler 5 with BPO and I think that its fantastic! He has a very simple way of just getting to the point of the music without losing the overall sight of the piece. Also, his work on the Mahler festival dvd was quite good no over doing just letting the music speak with his guidance. Would you agree?

[grabit1]

Haitink has always just let the music speak for itself. He knows that is all that is needed. Listen to his Bruckner. His sense and feel and grasp of the architecture is phenomenal. He acts merely as your guide on the pilgrimage, but never lets you miss the effect when it finally arrives.

[cykill1000]

I've listened to the Bruckner cycle and I enjoy it for the most part especially the early sym. I was watching the Berlin Euro concert 93 with him which had Rite of spring and some other things on it and he did what is now one of my favorite performances of "the Rite". If I were to ever play for him I think that I'd trust him completely.

[jlaurson]

I'm listening to it right now... boy-oh-boy does he pull that Adagietto to absurd lengths (14 min!!!). I don't think that's how it ought to be played or understood... but it's fascinating how he manages to pull it off, all the same. Much less gratuitous than Bernstein.

[jlaurson]

His new CSO 3 is absolutely terrific. I don't think all of Haitink is good (in particular I think this RCO 8th is a tiresome, boring performance), but at his best he is among the refined few best Mahler conductors ever. [And he's such a nice guy - almost incredulously.] His RCO 4th (also new) with C.Schaefer is tremendous, too.

[samvern]

I agree with you on that fact about him being among the refined best when it comes to Mahler. I haven't heard his new 4th I've only heard the old one which is on DVD with Berlin. He does some pretty good things overall with the music. As for Bernstein I like him but only in his 2nd recording with NYP and his 6th with Vienna. Haitink just does it and it sounds right.

[etucker82]

He's certainly one of the great ones (I really like the CSO #6) but Haitink has now said in a live radio interview that he hates Mahler 8. He doesn't sound very inspired by it here.

[jgesselberty]

If he hates this magnificent symphony, it's pretty difficult to tell by this masterful performance.

[grabit1]

Haitink has often said that he used to hate Mahler when he was young, that it made him sick.

I've never believed it. My ears tell me otherwise.

[etucker82]

Well, I certainly don't believe he hates all of Mahler. But he recently said in an interview with Norman Lebrecht that he thinks Mahler 8 is a 'musical monstrosity' that he's managed to conduct only three times and would be very glad not to conduct again. I think this is nothing more than a dutiful performance. Conductors who really get the piece: like Bernstein, Rattle, Tennstedt, and Abbado never sound like they're going through the motions.

[martinusB95]

@etucker82

In my opinion Haitink is one of the greatest conductors that have ever lived.

[Musicmaster345]

Incredible...

[grabit1]

Correction--Haitink just turned 79. Well, he's close to 80, anyway, and he's been great since he was still in his 30's while I was growing up.

[ArturoAlejandroS]

Good performance!

[neacy45]

May I just say that Bernard, is a very lovely man, my dad worked for him for many years and I met him and Patricia (his wife) many times, even though my dad no longer works for him, they still keep in touch.

[grabit1]

He just turned 80 a few weeks ago. He's always been respected in Europe as one of the great conductors, but we Americans haven't seen enough (or generally, know enough) to realize that.

He ain't stopping. Now that he's with the Chicago Symphony.

Our big classical radio guy here in L.A. is Jim Svejda. He says that he used to find Haitink "phlegmatic." He has long since recanted and tries to fit Haitink recordings into his show whenever he can.

[grabit1]

And by the way, at the 27th second, Haitink was just being. He never does anything unnecessary. Ever.

[Mistlav]

Mi sueño hecho realidad, la GRAN Gwyneth Jones como soprano I y la Maestra Arleen Auger como soprano II!!!!!!

[belt1979]

This is really great!!! Bless God for this recording!!!!

[mahlerkid]

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I think the best part of the whole movement is the soprano entrance at 1:12! Anyone know what they are saying in Latin or German?!

[Scorberg]

It's Latin. She is saying "Glory"

[Carnivorious]

So my question is..

Is there 1000 performers in this edition? Someone count for god's sake!

[mahlerkid]

I'm not sure if thats possible!

[Carnivorious]

hm.. They did in the first performance. A news paper reporter gave it the name "Symphony of a thousand" because of that. Could be cool they'd de it today. :D

[Shota871]

In the American premiere, Leopold Stokowski did employ more than a thousand musicians.

[fanfanchasiufan]

Bravo !!!!!!!

[oronopolo]

some people suggest that mr. Haitinks gesture at the 27th second of this clip was unnecessary. It was not. It was a signal to his personal-assistent to put an earlier that evening ordered pizza into the microwave.

[OdetoJoy9]

Thanks for the response! LOL

[DQWeddr]

i absoutly love this piece, one oof my favorites but i heared some phasing in this recording

[OdetoJoy9]

Great rendition; but I don't know if anyone agrees, but I think the hand spinning gesture at 27 seconds was unnecessary.

[BrucknerEnthusiast]

It was absolute madness that Philips did not let Haitink complete his Berlin Philharmonic Mahler cycle on CD when he'd already recorded Nos. 1-7 and the Adagio of the Tenth. There are some real cretins making decisions in the recording industry these days.

[grabit1]

Call me BrucknerEnthusiast #2. The other BrucknerEnthusiast is completely right.

[OdetoJoy9]

Beautiful ending. Stunning!

[fransie07]

what a losers!!

[Tim1532]

What to say?............BRAVO!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!

[nickcrown007]

Just brushing off my goosebumps!!