A brief video history

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1888-1895 Willem Kes Chief conductor The true father of the RCO is Willem Kes. He was their first leader after the founding of the so-called Concertgebouw Orkest in the late eighties of the 19th century. In fact we have no clue about the quality of the ensemble in this period. And after only 7 years Kes left for a “better” job. Read More » Watch Video 1895-1945 Willem Mengelberg Chief conductor Mengelberg put an immediate stamp on the orchestra and made the RCO into one of the world’s best within a period of ten years. Not only did he create sensational programs (like the Mahler Festival in 1920 performing all of Mahler’s works in two weeks time), he also invited the best guest conductors and composers to his Concertgebouw Orchestra, such luminaries as Pierre Monteux, Bruno Walter, Karl Muck and Eugen Jochem. Read More » Watch Video 1945-1959 Eduard van Beinum Chief conductor After 1945 the Dutch conductor Eduard van Beinum continued the tradition of cultivating the orchestra’s strength in performing romantic and especially late romantic composers such as Mahler and Richard Strauss. Read More » Watch Video 1961 - 1988 Bernard Haitink Chief conductor For the young Bernard Haitink his debut at the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1956 had already been much too early. Three years later, the invitation for this gifted chief-conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic to become the first conductor of the RCO came totally unexpected, shortly followed by the offer of the position of chief-conductor. Read More » Watch Video 1988 – 2004 Riccardo Chailly Chief conductor The first non-Dutchman came on board as the successor of Bernard Haitink. Riccardo Chailly won the orchestra with only one program as guest conductor. Under his leadership the RCO even grew to higher levels since he made the ensemble more flexible and virtuoso. Read More » Watch Video 2004 – now Mariss Jansons Chief conductor For the members of the RCO the election of the Latvian star conductor Mariss Jansons was a simple and clear choice. Since 1988 their relationship has been very strong and, as a completely different character from Chailly and Haitink, has been ideal to write a new chapter in the RCO’s long history of ‘getting better all the time’. Read More » Watch Video

A brief video history Read more » Best Orchestra In The World Read more » The RCO Timeline Facts and Figures Read more » MonteVerdi - Worlds of Classical Music View website »

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