Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4 (Herbert von Karajan)

Information

• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36
• Bedřich Smetana - Má vlast: II. Vltava

Berliner Philharmoniker

Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Date: 1960 / 2026

Label: Warner Classics

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Herbert von Karajan was known for repeatedly revisiting and re-recording works from his core repertoire, striving for ever greater refinement in interpretation and orchestral sound. Among these pieces, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 held a special fascination for him; he recorded it five times with the Berlin Philharmonic, beginning with his first version in 1960. Karajan regarded the symphony as an ideal demonstration of the orchestra’s virtuosity and precision. The work’s dramatic brass-driven “Fate” motif, the technically demanding pizzicato scherzo, and the exhilarating finale offered opportunities to highlight the ensemble’s exceptional discipline, brilliance, and expressive power under his direction.

Herbert von Karajan was born in Salzburg on 5 April 1908. Initially a gifted pianist, he turned to conducting at the encouragement of Bernard Paumgartner and studied with Franz Schalk in Vienna. He began his professional career in 1929 at the Ulm Opera, later becoming music director in Aachen and joining the Berlin State Opera in 1938. After the war, he recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic under producer Walter Legge and led London’s Philharmonia Orchestra. In 1955 he succeeded Wilhelm Furtwängler as director of the Berlin Philharmonic and later directed the Vienna State Opera. Internationally renowned for his recordings and technological innovation, Karajan died in 1989.

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