Jean Sibelius - Symphony No. 4; Tapiola (Herbert von Karajan)

Information

Composer: Jean Sibelius

• Symphony No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 63
• Tapiola, Op. 112

Berliner Philharmoniker

Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Date: 1978, 1977 / 2026

Label: Warner Classics

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In this acclaimed late-1970s recording, Herbert von Karajan leads the Berlin Philharmonic in a definitive interpretation of Jean Sibelius's repertoire. Departing from mid-century polish, Karajan embraces a stark, modern, and unsparing tone, particularly evident in the Fourth Symphony. Additionally, his powerful rendering of Tapiola uses colossal orchestral weight to evoke the chilling, primeval mysteries of the Nordic wilderness.

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.

High Resolution 24-bit / 192 kHz