Wiener Philharmoniker & Karl Böhm - Bruckner: Symphony No.4 (2014) Lossless

Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4, also known as the “Romantic,” was his breakthrough symphonic work and launched a series of several mature-era symphonies that were noteworthy for their length and extensive use of massive walls of sound, bolstered by huge brass chorales. Three of this symphony’s four movements carry the instruction “Bewegt” or, in musical terms, “animated.” It is important that this instruction is heeded to maintain the vital pulse of these long movements.

Maestro Karl Böhm, one of the early 20th century champions of Bruckner’s work, had a long performing history with the Vienna Philharmonic, a premier exponent of this composer’s symphonies. This 1973 recording represents the culmination of a career-long collaboration between this conductor and his players. The pacing and dynamics are the best that I have ever heard (and I have heard many recordings of this now-popular symphony). Throughout, one continually gets the sense that Böhm understood the composer’s intentions and made every effort to deliver them with a loving yet firm hand.