Search - Anton Bruckner, Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra :: Bruckner: Symphony No. 4

Majestic and romantic

Sungu Okan | Istanbul, Istanbul Turkey | 11/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording of Karajan is really amazing. Recorded in 1970 with Berliner Philharmoniker and played gourgeous. They are sensitive in lyric, romantic moments and ecstatic, full of energy, powerful at the fortissimo, majestic moments.



This symphony is may be the most famous work of Bruckner. It was revised about 6 times! As you know, Bruckner was always revised his symphonies a lot of time, because he was in doubt, inquiet always. This recording is the version V, edited by Robert Haas, an it is really good and marvellously orchestrated. The first movement opens with a noble horn theme, which accompaniyng by tremolos of strings. This is a sunrise scene in a typical Middle Age and there is a gourgeous castle and forest landscapes. It is a typical German-Romanticism. The second movement is contrasted to the first movement's sunny mood, it is a elegy in C minor. The third movement is may be the most fantastic. There is a hunt scene. The Hunt-Horns announce that, in distance. The finale has the most enigmatic moments. Opens mysteriously and then climbs up immediatly to a three-note climax, which the main theme of the movement. And then, a lyric new theme played by strings. There are too majestic passages for brass, which sounds like soundtrack! (Even so, in the duration 13:00 ca., I found it very similar to the soundtrack of "The Lord of the Rings" composed by Howard Shore!) The symphony ends in major tone, but in a tragic, not too sunny mood.



This is really a must have for any Brucknerians or music admirers. And a last thing: play the 3rd and 4th movements loudly!

Highly recommended."

Brilliant as Bruckner should be

Booker T. James | Washington DC, USA | 04/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Now this is Bruckner at his best. Beautiful juxtaposition of strings and brass, hear the opening of the scherzo - magnificent! - and brilliantly orchestrated by the Master - von Karajan. For anybody who has not ventured into Bruckner before, this is the place to start. And the recording - the very best."

One of the two best Bruckner 4th's ever recorded

M. A. Scott | Kansas, USA | 04/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Boy, how wrong could your previous reviewers Ford and Heddon be? They must be listening to a completely different version than me. This is Karajan at his very best. I am always in complete awe when I hear the masterly first movement on this particular version. I started off by aquiring the cassette tape of this, which unbelievably, sounds a tad bit better than this cd issue does, but still, this version is very good sonically. I don't understand at all why Mr.Heddon and Ford could even downgrade this a little bit. The Penguin Guide says that his DG version of a few years later is best (which I have in my possession also), but don't believe it, this is the one to have. The other Bruckner 4th that is as good or better than this one is the Klemperer version with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. It is debatable which is really better but I think that if you take it as a whole the Klemperer might just come out on top slightly. This is a must have performance by Karajan, which, you can get a little bit cheaper if you buy the EMI Encore version which sells for about $6.99 at Borders and used here on Amazon for just over $4.00. Enjoy!!!"