Jean Sibelius - Symphony No. 5; En saga (Herbert von Karajan)

Information

Composer: Jean Sibelius

• Symphony No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 82
• En saga, Op. 9

Berliner Philharmoniker

Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Date: 1977 / 2026

Label: Warner Classics

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Herbert von Karajan’s 1976 recording of Sibelius’s Fifth Symphony and En saga stands as a masterclass in mythic intensity, capturing the full dramatic range of the composer's Nordic vision. Performing alongside the Berlin Philharmonic, Karajan guides the orchestra through a vast emotional landscape, shifting seamlessly from atmospheric, shivering shadows to powerful, majestic climaxes. The interpretation culminates in a breathtaking finale where the orchestra's triumphantly brass-drenched rendition of the famous swan calls brings the work to a glorious, elemental conclusion.

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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