Editing Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (section)

==History==
The [[Concertgebouw, Amsterdam|Concertgebouw]] opened on 11 April 1888. The Concertgebouw Orchestra was established several months later and gave its first concert in the Concertgebouw on 3 November 1888. This performance was conducted by the orchestra's first chief conductor, [[Willem Kes]].

===1888–1945: Kes and Mengelberg===
Willem Kes served as the orchestra's chief conductor from its 1888 founding to 1895. In 1895, [[Willem Mengelberg]] became chief conductor and remained in this position for fifty years, an unusually long tenure for a music director.<ref>Other long tenures at major orchestras include [[Evgeny Mravinsky]] at the [[Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra]], [[Ernest Ansermet]] at the [[Orchestre de la Suisse Romande]], [[Robert Kajanus]] at the [[Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra]], and [[Eugene Ormandy]] at the [[Philadelphia Orchestra]].</ref>  He is generally regarded as having brought the orchestra to a level of major international significance, with a particular championing of such then-contemporary composers as [[Gustav Mahler]] and [[Richard Strauss]].

[[File:Concertgebouw in Amsterdam Nederland.jpg|thumb|The [[Concertgebouw, Amsterdam|Concertgebouw]]]]

For approximately its first 75 years, the Concertgebouw Orchestra had a complex roster of conductors.  In addition to the chief conductor, the orchestra had conductor positions titled ''"eerste dirigent"'' ("first conductor"), who assisted the chief conductor with programming, and ''"tweede dirigent"'' ("second conductor"), who did "what he was told."<ref>Wisse, Kees, notes to Q-Disc Issue "Eduard Van Beinum: The Radio Recordings", Q-Disc (translated Lodewijk Odé, Ko Kooman and Chris Gordon).</ref>  During Mengelberg's time as chief conductor, several of these first conductors included [[Karl Muck]] (1921–1925), [[Pierre Monteux]] (1924–1934), [[Bruno Walter]] (1934–1939), and [[Eugen Jochum]] (1941–1943), each of them internationally respected and holding positions at other orchestras as well.  Musicians who served as "second conductor" were all Dutch and included the composer [[Cornelis Dopper]], Evert Cornelis and [[Eduard van Beinum]].

In 1945, because of the controversy over his relationship with the Nazi occupying forces during the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II, Mengelberg was removed as chief conductor and subsequently banned from conducting in The Netherlands.  The ban was initially imposed for the remainder of his life, but after an appeal, reduced to six years, applied retroactively from 1945. Mengelberg died in 1951 just before the end of his sentence, and thus never conducted the orchestra again after 1945.

===1945–1988: Van Beinum and Haitink===
From 1945 to 1959, the orchestra's principal conductor was [[Eduard van Beinum]], who had debuted with the orchestra in 1929.  He had become the second conductor of the orchestra in 1931, and co-principal conductor in 1938.  One of his specialties was the symphonies of [[Anton Bruckner]], and Van Beinum made commercial recordings with the orchestra of Bruckner's Eighth and Ninth Symphonies for the [[Philips Records]] label. Van Beinum served as sole chief conductor of the orchestra after World War II until his sudden death on the Concertgebouw podium from a heart attack in April 1959.

[[Bernard Haitink]] made his debut with the Concertgebouw Orchestra on 7 November 1956. After Van Beinum's death, from 1961 to 1963, Haitink and [[Eugen Jochum]] shared the post of chief conductor of the orchestra.<ref>[[Dyneley Hussey|Hussey, Dyneley]], "The Musician's Gramophone" (May 1960).  ''The Musical Times'', '''101''' (1407): 303.</ref>  Haitink became sole chief conductor in 1963, and served in this post until 1988.  During Haitink's tenure, the conductor roster system was simplified to have an assistant conductor instead of first and second conductors.  Conductors who served in this capacity included [[Edo de Waart]] and [[Hans Vonk (conductor)|Hans Vonk]].  The recording profile of the orchestra increased most dramatically under Haitink, with many recordings for [[Philips Records]], as well as [[EMI]] and [[Columbia Records]].  

In the early 1980s, the Dutch government threatened the orchestra with reductions in its government subsidy that could potentially have led to the dismissal of 23 musicians from the orchestra.  Haitink threatened to resign in protest, and the financial situation was eventually settled.<ref>{{cite news | author=James R. Oestreich | title=An Eminently Rational Man In an Irrational Profession | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506EEDF1330F933A25750C0A9649C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all | work=New York Times | date=10 March 2002 | access-date=30 October 2007}}</ref>  In addition, tensions had developed in the later years of Haitink's tenure between the orchestra management and Haitink, in particular between Haitink and then-artistic director Hein van Royen.<ref name="Koopman">[https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-51701-4_7 Koopman, Bert, "The Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra: Guardian of Symphonic Music", in ''Guardians of Public Virtue: How Public Organisations Become and Remain Institutions'' (Arjen Boin, Lauren A. Fahy, Paul 't Hart, editors). Palgrave Macmillan (2021).]</ref>  In 1999, Haitink was named the orchestra's conductor laureate (''eredirigent''), following a rapprochement negotiated by the then-new managing director of the orchestra, [[Jan Willem Loot]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/mensen/de-onverstoorbaarheid-van-orkestdirecteur-willem-loot-1943-2021-leverde-hem-de-bijnaam-sfinx-op~b24745a6/ | title=De onverstoorbaarheid van orkestdirecteur Willem Loot (1943–2021) leverde hem de bijnaam Sfinx op | work=De Volksrant | author=Peter de Waard | date=22 February 2021 | access-date=22 October 2021}}</ref>  In March 2014, Haitink suggested to the Dutch newspaper ''[[Het Parool]]'' that he wished to renounce the title of RCO conductor laureate and no longer to guest-conduct the orchestra, in protest at the orchestra's current administrative management.<ref>{{cite news | author= | title=Haitink nooit meer bij Concertgebouworkest | url=http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/12/CULTUUR/article/detail/3607156/2014/03/04/Haitink-nooit-meer-bij-Concertgebouworkest.dhtml | work=Het Parool | date=4 March 2014 | access-date=3 October 2014}}</ref>  In September 2015, the orchestra announced a rapprochement with Haitink, with a scheduled guest-conducting engagement with the KCO in the 2016–2017 season.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/en/News/Press/2015-2016/Press-statement-Royal-Concertgebouw-Orchestra-and-Bernard-Haitink/ | title=Press Statement – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Bernard Haitink | publisher=Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | date=2 September 2015 | access-date=3 September 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018060618/http://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/en/News/Press/2015-2016/Press-statement-Royal-Concertgebouw-Orchestra-and-Bernard-Haitink/ | archive-date=18 October 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/muziek/concertgebouw-toont-zich-de-wijste-in-kwestie-haitink~a4134193/ | title=Concertgebouw toont zich de wijste in kwestie-Haitink | work=De Volksrant | author=Guido van Oorschot | date=3 September 2015 | access-date=3 September 2015}}</ref>  Haitink retained the title of ''eredirigent'' with the orchestra through his 2019 retirement and until his death in October 2021.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/nl/eredirigent-bernard-haitink-overleden | title=Eredirigent Bernard Haitink overleden | publisher=Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | date=22 October 2021 | access-date=22 October 2021}}</ref>

===1988–2018: Chailly, Jansons and Gatti===
[[File:Concertgebouw zaal orkest.jpg|thumb|The orchestra performing in the Grote Zaal (Great Hall)]]

[[Riccardo Chailly]] made his debut with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1985, and was elected that year as their next chief conductor to succeed Haitink.<ref>{{cite news | author=John O'Mahony | title=Maestro in the fast lane | url=https://www.theguardian.com/saturday_review/story/0,,664200,00.html | work=The Guardian | date=9 March 2002 | access-date=19 August 2007}}</ref> As the first non-Dutchman to hold the post, Chailly served as chief conductor from 1988 to 2004. His recordings with the orchestra include complete Mahler and Brahms symphony cycles and several Bruckner symphonies.  With a conducting style described, in contrast to Haitink, as that of "a control freak and precision fanatic",<ref name="Koopman"/> Chailly was a strong advocate of modern music and recorded shorter works of Shostakovich, the complete ''Kammermusiken'' of [[Paul Hindemith]], and the orchestral works of [[Igor Stravinsky]], [[Olivier Messiaen]] and [[Edgard Varese]].  After his departure in 2004, Chailly was named Conductor Emeritus of the KCO.

[[Mariss Jansons]] made his KCO debut in 1988.  On 22 October 2002, the KCO elected Jansons as its next chief conductor.<ref>{{cite news | author=Martin Cullingford | title=Jansons confirmed as Royal Concertgebouw head | url=http://www.gramophone.co.uk/newsMainTemplate.asp?storyID=1472&newssectionID=1 | work=Gramophone | date=17 October 2002 | access-date=19 August 2007}}</ref>  His tenure officially began on 1 September 2004, with an initial contract of three years.  Premières during Janson's tenure have included [[Hans Werner Henze]]'s ''[[Sebastian im Traum]]'', a RCO co-commission.  In April 2014, the orchestra announced the scheduled conclusion of Jansons' tenure as chief conductor after the 2014–15 season.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/en/News/News-overview/2013-2014/Mariss-Jansons-bids-farewell/ | title=Mariss Jansons Bids Farewell | publisher=Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | date=22 April 2014 | access-date=23 April 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424044601/http://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/en/News/News-overview/2013-2014/Mariss-Jansons-bids-farewell/ | archive-date=24 April 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | author=Imogen Tilden | title=Mariss Jansons announces Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra departure | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/apr/22/mariss-jansons-announces-royal-concertgebouw-orchestra-departure | work=The Guardian | date=22 April 2014 | access-date=23 April 2014}}</ref>  Jansons subsequently held the title of conductor emeritus of the RCO until his death in 2019.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/en/mariss-jansons-1943-2019 | title=Mariss Jansons 1943–2019 | publisher=Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | date=1 December 2019 | access-date=31 March 2021}}</ref>

[[Daniele Gatti]] first guest-conducted the KCO in 2004.  In October 2014, the KCO announced the appointment of Gatti as its seventh chief conductor, effective in 2016.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/en/News/News-overview/2014-2015/Daniele-Gatti-appointed-chief-conductor-of-RCO/ | title=Daniele Gatti Appointed Chief Conductor of RCO | publisher=Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | date=3 October 2014 | access-date=3 October 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006134420/http://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/en/News/News-overview/2014-2015/Daniele-Gatti-appointed-chief-conductor-of-RCO/ | archive-date=6 October 2014 }}</ref>  On 2 August 2018, the orchestra dismissed Gatti as chief conductor with immediate effect, following complaints of "inappropriate" behaviour with female musicians.<ref>{{cite news | author=Imogen Tilden | title=Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra parts company with chief conductor Gatti | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/02/royal-concertgebouw-orchestra-daniele-gatti-allegations-misconduct | work=The Guardian | date=2 August 2018 | access-date=2 August 2018}}</ref>

===2020–present===
In October 2020, the KCO announced the appointment of [[Iván Fischer]] as its honorary guest conductor (''honorair gastdirigent''), effective with the 2021–2022 season.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/nl/ivan-fischer-benoemd-tot-honorair-gastdirigent | title=Iván Fischer benoemd tot honorair gastdirigent | publisher=Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | date=23 October 2020 | access-date=30 October 2020}}</ref>

In September 2020, [[Klaus Mäkelä]] first guest-conducted the KCO.  The KCO re-engaged Mäkelä twice in the 2020–2021 season, and subsequently in the 2021–2022 season for further guest-conducting appearances, including tours to Hamburg and Reykjavík.  In June 2022, the RCO announced the appointment of Mäkelä as an artistic partner for the period of 2022–2027, and subsequently as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/nl/verhalen/klaus-makela-de-achtste-chef | title=Klaus Mäkelä – de achtste chef | publisher=Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | date=10 June 2022 | accessdate=10 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.harrisonparrott.com/news/2022-06-08/klaus-makela-and-royal-concertgebouw-orchestra-to-start-ten-year | title=Klaus Mäkelä and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra to start ten-year collaboration | publisher=HarrisonParrott | date=10 June 2022 | accessdate=10 June 2022}}</ref>

In March 2024, the KCO announced the establishment of the ''Bernard Haitink Associate Conductorship'', through a donation from Patricia Haitink and the Haitink family, and the appointment of Aurel Dawidiuk as the orchestra's inaugural associate conductor under this programme.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/nl/verhalen/aurel-dawidiuk-wordt-associate-conductor | title=Aurel Dawidiuk wordt eerste associate conductor | publisher=Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | date=March 2024 | access-date=2024-03-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Dirigent Aurel Dawidiuk aan de slag bij Concertgebouworkest | url=https://www.nporadio4.nl/klassiek/podium/203586e0-2a15-45ea-a32a-377a50c50438/dirigent-aurel-dawidiuk-aan-de-slag-bij-concertgebouworkest | work=NPO Radio 4 | author= | date=2024-03-12 | accessdate=2024-03-14}}</ref>