New releases historical recordings Hernancourt and Mengelberg

The CD box set of Harnoncourt’s recordings offers a unique insight into the close bond between our orchestra and the Austrian pioneer of historical performance practice. Since his debut in 1975 – when he broke with the annual St Matthew Passion tradition by performing Bach’s St John Passion – Harnoncourt has exerted a profound influence on our orchestra, which, not without reason, appointed him honorary guest conductor. From the Warner Classics press release:

Bridging the gap

‘Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s relationship with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra was one of the most transformative partnerships in modern orchestral history, lasting 38 years and totalling 276 concerts. […] This collaboration challenged the musicians to rethink their phrasing, articulation, and use of vibrato, ultimately bridging the gap between old-world symphonic sound and baroque authenticity.’

Amsterdam style

‘What made this partnership unique was the mutual respect between the maestro and the ensemble. While many traditional orchestras initially resisted Harnoncourt’s strict adherence to historical scores, the Concertgebouw musicians embraced his intellectual rigor. Over several decades, they developed a distinctive “Amsterdam style” of performing the First Viennese School – Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven – that combined the orchestra’s legendary warmth with Harnoncourt’s sharp, dramatic energy.’

Benchmarks

The recorded legacy of this collaboration remains a cornerstone of the classical catalog. Their famous cycles of Mozart and Haydn symphonies were highly acclaimed, as was their profound interpretation of Schubert’s complete symphonic works, which continue to be benchmarks for critics and collectors alike. The box also includes the famous Mozart/Da Ponte trilogy (Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro and Così fan tutte), starring Thomas Hampson, works by Bruckner, Johann Strauss and Brahms, as well as four albums by Dvořák (his major symphonies and his piano concerto).’

The Willem Mengelberg Society is releasing a new addition to what is becoming an impressive CD series. Using the latest digital techniques, old recordings are being restored and sound as good as new. Following the impressive 1939 recording of Bach’s St Matthew Passion and a CD featuring works by Mahler and Richard Strauss, it is now the turn of Mengelberg’s interpretations of the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The CD set Willem Mengelberg – The Tchaikovsky Recordings features historic recordings by Willem Mengelberg with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic and, as a bonus, a recording with the New York Philharmonic.

For this album, the audio engineer and restoration specialist Jochem Geene has once again demonstrated outstanding craftsmanship. The result is remarkable: a clear and spacious sound, free from noise and distracting clicks, offering a listening experience that comes strikingly close to that of a modern recording.

With a masterful touch, Mengelberg leads the musicians through Tchaikovsky’s often highly virtuosic scores, allowing his distinctive and compelling interpretative artistry to be heard in full.