Bernard Haitink was a celebrated Dutch conductor and violinist known for his profound interpretations of the classical and romantic repertoires. His long and distinguished career included chief conductorships of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Haitink was admired for his self-effacing style, allowing the composer's intentions to shine through without personal affectation. He left an extensive legacy of recordings, particularly noted for his cycles of symphonies by Mahler, Bruckner, and Shostakovich.