Anton Bruckner - Symphony No. 4 'Romantic' (Herbert von Karajan)

Information

Composer: Anton Bruckner

• Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WB 104 "Romantic" (1881 Haas Version)

Berliner Philharmoniker

Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Date: 1971 / 2026

Label: Warner Classics

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Herbert von Karajan’s 1970 recording of Anton Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic stands as a monumental landmark in orchestral performance. This legendary interpretation masterfully balances structural grandiosity with profound artistic nuance, capturing the ensemble at the zenith of its musical capabilities. The recording highlights the orchestra’s iconic sound, defined by radiant, resonant brass sonorities and richly textured, luxurious string passages. Karajan’s commanding direction brings dynamic vigor and spatial cohesion to Bruckner’s sweeping score, cementing this release as an enduring classic that exemplifies the profound depth, majestic scale, and sublime acoustic warmth of peak twentieth-century symphonic music.

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