Haitink at 85, Barbican Hall

Having already experienced the sad loss of Claudio Abbado this year, it is reassuring to know that one of the other great conductors of the past century is still very much alive and kicking. In June, Bernard Haitink arrives at the Barbican in celebration of his 85th year and his 60th conducting season, bringing with him the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, virtuoso violinist Isabelle Faust, and virtuoso pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. 

Both concerts are filled with orchestral masterpieces by Beethoven, Berg, Schumann, Ravel and Mozart – prime Haitink repertoire, performed by an orchestra of international class. It’s a tough choice, but if the babysitter can only make one evening that week, we would nudge you in the direction of the first concert, on June 5, which features Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, ‘Pastoral’, Berg’s Violin Concerto, and Schumann’s Manfred Overture. 

If, like us, you grew up with Disney’s Fantasia, it can be difficult to dispel the images of small dancing horses that arise during the opening bars of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6. Unfortunately, such associations have over-sugared a symphony that brims with tension and drama, not least in the “chaos-to-order” transformation that takes place over the course of the fourth and fifth movements. And, of course, under Haitink’s direction, this passage promises to be extraordinary. 

We are also looking forward to hearing Isabelle Faust’s interpretation of Berg’s intensely moving Violin Concerto. For those who don’t know the Violin Concerto, it is the ultimate contradiction to BBC Radio 4’s recent (and shockingly inaccurate) claims that serialism was a musical movement in which “melodies weren’t allowed”. Drawn from a tone row that incorporates consonant triads from all of the violin’s open strings and the first four pitches of a Bach chorale, the piece simply sings with emotion. In fact, direct quotations from the chorale itself emerge during the final movement, evoking a musical tradition that Berg and his contemporaries saw themselves as inextricably joined to. As well as being the recipient of numerous awards and honours, Faust is a prominent interpreter of twentieth-century repertoire, and there is no doubt that her performance will be of the highest sensitivity. 

With such a dazzling array of performers, both dates will sell out a long time before the summer, so book those tickets as soon as you can.