In 1956, Bernard Haitink conducted the Concertgebouworkest for the first time and together they would play more than 1,500 concerts across the globe. Besides his modesty, his humanity, his musical taste, and his honesty to the music, three words come to mind when one thinks of Haitink and his orchestra: Sound, Trust and Magic. Jörgen van Rijen, Principal trombone of the Concertgebouworkest, said at a memorial concert in February this year, “Every time with him [Haitink] the orchestra sounded warmer, deeper and richer, from the first moment he started to rehearse. How he did that is difficult to tell … he always gave us musicians the feeling he trusted you, that he was there to help, not to interfere.” Together they left a vast recorded legacy which is now collected in one edition for the first time on 113 CDs + 4 DVDs with original sleeves and presented with a 170pp book (EN/FR/DE/JP) with authoritative notes by Niek Nelissen, a foreword by Patricia Haitink and tributes from many fellow musicians.
This limited edition stands as a fitting and heartfelt tribute to one of the most endearing and celebrated conductor-orchestra partnerships.
Highlights include:
• Complete symphony cycles of Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler, Schumann, Tchaikovsky & Shostakovich
• Beethoven Piano Concertos with Murray Perahia [CBS] and Claudio Arrau; Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos with Vladimir Ashkenazy; Brahms Piano Concertos with Claudio Arrau (Nos. 1 & 2) and Alfred Brendel (No. 2) and Vladimir Ashkenazy (No. 1)
• Brahms’ Double Concerto with Itzhak Perlman & Mstislav Rostropovich [EMI] and Henryk Szeryng & Janos Starker; Beethoven and Brahms Violin Concertos with Henryk Szeryng and Herman Krebbers; Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn Violin Concertos with Arthur Grumiaux and Henryk Szeryng
• A selection of live recordings from the Concertgebouw’s own label including Brahms Concertos with Frank Peter Zimmermann and Emanuel Ax
• Award-winning recordings of Debussy & Ravel’s orchestral music including La mer, Nocturnes, Jeux, Images, Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un faune + Daphnis et Chloé & Mother Goose Suites and Boléro
• Many Edison award-winning recordings including Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra
• 24-bit remasterings of the multi award-winning Mahler and Bruckner Cycles
• The first international DVD release of the Eurovision Christmas Matinee performances of Mahler’s symphonies
• Includes multiple recordings of Mahler 1, 4 & 7; Bruckner 7, 8 & 9; and Tchaikovsky 4 & 6
• The recordings are all presented with original jackets and accompanied by a 170pp book (EN/FR/DE/JP) with authoritative notes by music historian and friend of Haitink, Niek Nelissen; a foreword by Patricia Haitink; tributes from many musicians; many photographs; a chronological recording index and full recording information.
• Two-piece rigid lift-off lid box / Dimensions: 270 x 205.5 x 140 mm
