Italian maestro Daniele Gatti will succeed Mariss Jansons in 2016, but not everyone’s happy.

Daniele Gatti has been announced as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s new Chief Conductor. As of 2016, the Italian will become only the 125-year-old orchestra’s seventh maestro, in a line that includes Willem Mengelberg, Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Chailly, and Mariss Jansons.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this invitation from one of the greatest and oldest orchestras in the world,” said Gatti on his appointement. “I will do my very best to deserve it and to serve the music with the support of the musicians and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra family.”

Not everyone is delighted however. Chit chat on the popular Slipped Disc website reveals deeply divided opinions – more than half of them negative. “His interpretations and tempi have been dreadful and horrible! I recall with horror a ghastly slow Mahler 5 with zero detail and dramatic and emotional tension. I will not be watching his concerts, with RCO or otherwise!” says SDCARD. “Truly uninspired choice… Gatti in all his years has never gotten close to grabbing the brass ring. And his repertoire is very limited. A footnote in the Concertgebouw history,” adds OHGLORIOSO.

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