As one of the most distinguished Mahler conductors of modern times, Bernard Haitink has made many excellent recordings of the symphonies, including his 1969 analog recording on Philips of the Symphony No. 9 in D major with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. That superb performance has been reissued multiple times and has long been a favorite among connoisseurs, so the appearance of his digital recording with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra may shake up a few opinions. This 2011 live recording has a clear advantage in ...
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As one of the most distinguished Mahler conductors of modern times, Bernard Haitink has made many excellent recordings of the symphonies, including his 1969 analog recording on Philips of the Symphony No. 9 in D major with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. That superb performance has been reissued multiple times and has long been a favorite among connoisseurs, so the appearance of his digital recording with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra may shake up a few opinions. This 2011 live recording has a clear advantage in its clean digital sound quality and wide frequency range, and the orchestra's playing is perfectly audible with minimal audience noise. But the interpretation is classic Haitink, with just the right balance between authentic expression and accurate execution that is a hallmark of his style. Haitink has sometimes been observed to be reticent, and if that means he doesn't gush or make Mahler's music histrionic, à la Bernstein, that's a fair description. But if reticence means dutiful...
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