Bernard Haitink, London Symphony Orchestra - Brahms: Symphony No 4 (2005) [SACD]

Loaded with German Romanticism & including variations on a Bach cantata, Brahms’ final symphony is a remarkable example of his mastery of symphonic composition. A rich, warm work that builds on a sense of movement & intensity right up to the final bars. This release also represents the completion of Bernard Haitink’s celebrated LSO Live Brahms cycle that has included the symphonies, Double Concerto, Tragic Overture & Serenade No 2.
AllMusic:
Plodding & even a little sloppy, Bernard Haitink & the London Symphony Orchestra’s June 2004 performance of Brahms’ 4th Symphony may not merit immortality. While both Haitink & the LSO have both recorded superb Brahms’ 4ths in the past, indeed, this 1 is a stinker. There are some fine moments — one thinks especially of the cello theme in the Andante moderato — but the performance as a whole is dull & labored, tired & turgid. Even the Allegro giocoso sounds tired & the closing bars of the finale are at the point of exhaustion. Even worse, the performance sounds sloppy, something one rarely hears from the LSO. The violins slip above the staff. The brass bleats above forte. The horns sound hollow in the opening of the Andante. The flute sounds limp in the finale. The ensemble sounds shaky throughout. Even LSO Live’s sound is a little dim & a lot distant. There are dozens of better recordings of Brahms’ 4th. Try Carlos Kleiber’s with the Vienna Philharmonic, but skip this.