Bernard Haitink, honorary conductor
Emanuel Ax, piano
Frank Peter Zimmermann, violin
RCO Chamber Soloists
Bernard Haitink was the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra's chief conductor from 1961-88, and was named honorary conductor in 1999. This album features his 2010 live Johannes Brahms recordings with Emanuel Ax (Piano Concerto No. 1) and Frank Peter Zimmermann (Violin Concerto). A brand new studio recording of Robert Schumann's Piano Quartet with Emanuel Ax and RCO principals Vesko Eschkenazy, Henk Rubingh and Gregor Horsch is offered as a makeweight.
SACD 1 (39:37)
1-3. Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 (1878)*
SACD 2 (76:20)
1-4. Robert Schumann: Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47 (1842)**
5-7. Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, Op. 15 (1858)***
Recorded Live at Concertgebouw Amsterdam, 17-19 and 21 March* and 15, 17 & 19 December 2010***
Recorded at Waalse Kerk, Amsterdam, 20 June 2016**
Press quotes
'… [Ax's] breathtaking interpretation of the [Piano Concerto's] Adagio ...'
- Peter van der Lint, Trouw
'… enchanting moments of peacefulness [in the Piano Concerto].'
- Frederike Berntsen, Telegraaf
'… with commitment and effortless ease [Zimmermann] made the [Violin Concerto] seem newly appealing. He produced such a wonderful array of colour and expressiveness for each movement that the work's many moods […] had a quality of freshness and spontaneity that was a delight to hear.'
- Bill Kenny, MusicWeb