Posted by David Greenspan on November 18, 19102 at 09:30:02:

In Reply to: Question about the Haitink's Christmas Matinee box set posted by Billy Bob on October 27, 19102 at 09:10:29:

: Just wondering, were all these performances from one location? If so, what's the name of the building that the performances took place?
All the performances took place in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the home of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. And, although you didn't ask, the performances of the Ninth, Third and Seventh symphonies are among the best I've ever heard--certainly among the top two or three best recordings of each symphony (and I've heard a dozen or more Thirds and Sevenths and own about 30 or 35 Ninths!). They are quite a revelation; they are much more intense and expressive than Haitink's studio recordings. The Second, Fourth and Fifth are also much more intense and expressive than Haitink's studio recordings, and are truly excellent, although, as a matter of personal taste, I would not say they are among the best two or three recordings of of each respective symphony. But I would not argue with anyone who says they are! Only the First Symphony was disappointing (to me); I think Haitink's 1972 studio recording (his second of two with the RCOA and his third studio recording of the symphony) is better, and I can name several I think are much more satisfying than this or any of Haitink's recordings of the Mahler First (Bernstein/RCOA/DG, Horenstein/LSO/Unicorn, Solti/LSO/Decca, Solti/CSO/Decca, Rattle/CBSO/EMI and Michael Tilson Thomas/SFSO/SFS Media). But Haitink's Christmas matinee recordings of the Ninth, Third, and Seventh would make this set worth getting for 50 Euros, which is the price the Dutch website is selling it for, because they are certainly competitve with the best of the usual recommended recordings of those symphonies.

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