Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Carlos Kleiber / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
A classic returns! Carlos Kleiber reportedly suffers from such nerves that he rarely manages the fortitude necessary to commit his interpretive thoughts to disc. That makes every one of his all too few recordings special, and this is no exception. Kleiber's Brahms is straightforward, rock steady, and superbly played. There are many versions of this symphony that feature more emphatic highlights and individual features, but few have the sort of cumulative power that carries right up to the last note. This one does. Kleiber's architectural grasp is especially evident in the finale, which, as a series of variations over a repeated bass line, is in itself a type of musical architecture. An unforgettable experience. --David Hurwitz

Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Carlos Kleiber / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Music, Johannes Brahms, Carlos Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Orchestral & Symphonic, Romantic Symphony, Symphonic

Average customer rating:

This is Herr Carlos Kleiber

Somethings Missing!

Brahms: the Best!

Kleiber does it again.

HMMMMM!

Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Carlos Kleiber / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Johannes Brahms , Carlos Kleiber , and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Schubert: Symphonies 3 & 8 / Carlos Kleiber, Wiener Philharmoniker

Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3/Debussy: La Mer/Ibert: Escales

Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, Schubert: Symphony No. 5 / Böhm, Vienna Philharmonic Orch.

ASIN: B000006NXP
Release Date: 1998-05-12

Tracks:

1. Allegro Non Troppo
2. Andante Moderato
3. Allegro Giocoso - Poco Meno Presto - Tempo I
4. Allegro Energico E Passionato - Piu Allegro

Amazon.com essential recording

A classic returns! Carlos Kleiber reportedly suffers from such nerves that he rarely manages the fortitude necessary to commit his interpretive thoughts to disc. That makes every one of his all too few recordings special, and this is no exception. Kleiber's Brahms is straightforward, rock steady, and superbly played. There are many versions of this symphony that feature more emphatic highlights and individual features, but few have the sort of cumulative power that carries right up to the last note. This one does. Kleiber's architectural grasp is especially evident in the finale, which, as a series of variations over a repeated bass line, is in itself a type of musical architecture. An unforgettable experience. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

This is Herr Carlos Kleiber .......2007-01-05

Carlos Kleiber is considered by many -including Placido Domingo- as the greatest conductor ever existed.This proves why.Unbelievably heart-throbbing.I do not understand how can he be so better than the others(except Celi-Kleiber is only sligtly better than him).Out of 13 versions i listened to (Karajan,Klemperer,Jansons,Walter,Sawallisch,Abbado, Jochum, Bernstein,Celibidache,Solti,Reiner,Toscanini and this one)i can say this is the best(celibidache is the close second.).Buy this now!!!But also beware there is only 40 minutes of music without any fill-ups.

Somethings Missing!.......2006-03-27

As I write this, there are 31 reviews ahead of me, all of them exuberant on Kleiber's interpretation. I cannot contest that. I must assume that all, or most, of the reviewers have listened to the music with the score in hand or have listened to 8 or 10 conductors who have read this music. Theres hardly any mention of the sound quality of the recording, except one reviewer who says it is an early digital. The Penguin Guide - which I read after buying the CD from Amazon - puts it way down among the recommended recordings, noting that while any Kleiber recording is an event of stature, it admits that this early digital exposes its technical limitations - "shrill and glassy" sounds above the stave. I have many DG Originals with outstanding sound and outstanding performances. This disk is a great disappointment, even after hearing it several times. It certainly shouldnt be the beginner's first choice!

Brahms: the Best!.......2005-11-15

Kleiber's interpretation of Brahms' final symphony is the sine qua non of any classical music collection. Brahms is part Bach part Beethoven but mostly himself. That said, his symphonies are some of the most significant accomplishments in the classical repertoire because he combined the better achievements of his two predecessors. This Fourth is not his best, (the Third is) but Kleiber casts a spell that cannot be ignored. Therefore, consider this one of the musical gems that you must have if only for the first movement alone. This disc (and Tchaikovsky's Fourth by Bernstein) have been replaced more times than any others in my collection. And every time, I only buy the Kleiber version. Kleiber sustains the demands of Brahms from alpha to omega as few other conductors can, especially the rondo-fugue and theme-and-variations which are demanding without relent. In toto, the Fourth lacks the organicity (intentionally so) of its predecessor pair. That said, the first movement is the most beautiful twelve minutes of sound you will ever hear. I could swear it were the name of God. And you will too.

Kleiber does it again........2005-09-19

I have always found Carlos Kleiber an interesting and enigmatic conductor. One whose performances are worth hearing time and again. Ditto with this fine recording.

Brahms might also be viewed as an enimga, and his dense orchestral works either attract or put people off. As with many listeners, my earliest introduction to Brahms was via his symphonies, in my case von Karajan, Walter and an old Toscanini mono set. While I continued to listen to Brahms on CD and in the concert hall, eventually my listening turned more towards his chamber and vocal works.

A few years ago I decided it was time to look more closely at the Brahms symphonies. This recording has been one of my recent discoveries and has rekindled my interest in Brahms the symphonist. Kleiber and the legendary VPO turn in a first rate and very interesting performance.

Listening to this CD I was able to notice little things about the orchestration and the tempos that were handled just a little differently than I had heard before. Also, there is an energy to it that that one frequently finds lacking with peformances of Brahms symphonies. I could go on with more specifics, but better you make your own observations. My advice, buy it and listen!

HMMMMM!.......2004-07-16

Well, it is amazing what this recording has done among melomans as the reactions here prove it. And one thing is certain that this is no usual Brahms recording. On the contrary is a pretty remarcable happening in the recorded music history.

Now, let us consider the time of its appearance. It is 1981, some good years after almost all mentioned here as real Brahms achievers, at least on disc, were gone. Neither Furtwangler, Walter, Schuricht or Mengelberg were amongst us for a while then. So this recording came, in my opinion on a very dry land as far as good Brahms interpretations were considered. I might upset some here but Karajan and Abbado are far from understanding enough of Brahms to be real contenders here (Karajan judged well that the strings of Berliner can make a very beautiful sound with parts of this compositions). Giulini was doing a fine job even though he wasn't able to go really to the heart of this music.

So, here comes mister Kleiber who makes a new case for Brahms as an outstanding composer. A recording that entered the Big League completely worthy. All the sense, drama and music of the symphony were there, the Wiener played superbly (as they do not all the time). Kleiber masters the music and his orchestra, his control is complete and as usual his artistic intelligence takes out in the open all what is burried within the notes of this symphony. And he does it so energetically with such crispness and control, as many mentioned here. And I think that is where the whole thing suffers from my point of view.

It is true that Brahms' music is tragic and full of human passions and conflincting feelings. But can you really see the big beared man as being so crisp, so precise in his burst of energy, so "modern" lets say? I cannot. And that's why I am missing in this recording the warmth and deep yet intense and demanding expression of "humanity" you find in Walter or the very natural and less controled yet more powerful dramatic accents you find in Furtwangler. For me, here, between these two, one can find the ultimate expression of Brahms, as a complete musical and human experience.

Mr Kleiber gets four stars for understanding and expressing everything so well, with such perfection but is denied the last star for being to perfect and calculated. Briskness is not something that helps in Brahms in my opinion. As well as two focused energy.

But I have to agree with some of the reviewers. Try to listen as many recordings as possible to get the one that really "sings Brahms" to you

Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98
Average customer rating:

Re-mastered sounds are not always improved

Get the "Originals" version

Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98
Johannes Brahms , Carlos Kleiber , Wiener Philharmoniker , and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde

ASIN: B000001G4F
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Sym No. 4 in e, Op.98: 1. Allegro non troppo
Sym No. 4 in e, Op.98: 2. Andante moderato
Sym No. 4 in e, Op.98: 3. Allegro giocoso-Poco meno presto-Tempo I
Sym No. 4 in e, Op.98: 4. Allegro energico e passionato-Piu Allegro

Amazon.com

Do not buy this CD--not because it isn't one of the better versions of this symphony available. It is. DG has released this same performance again in remastered sound at mid-price as part of its "originals" series. The catalog number is 289 457 706-2. Naturally they should have deleted this older version when they rereleased the new one, and they probably will at some point. Until they do, it's caveat emptor--let the buyer beware! --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Re-mastered sounds are not always improved.......2004-09-02

Have you compared the sounds between previous and re-mastered,
such as OIBP (DG), art (EMI), CEDAR, etc.?
Did you feel better?
I have not feel better. Because re-mastered process always deletes atmosphere with white noise, audience noise.
As a result, re-mastered sounds loose naturality.
There are many pairates labels around the world.
Pirates labels don't do noise shaping and as a result, there are
concert hall atmosphere remaining.
This is the one of the reason why there are so many pairates labels.
I strongly recommend that if you find previous, non re-mastered version CD, you shall buy!!!!!!!!

Get the "Originals" version.......1999-08-07

Mr. Hurwitz (the previous message) is absolutely correct. The remastered version is noticably better...a wonderful thing considering that this may be the finest Brahms 4th every recorded. LK

Average customer rating:

A Great Tribute To Carlos Kleiber
One of the finest bargains in the entire classical catalog
DG did the right thing!
The BEST Brahms 4

Tribute to a Unique Artist

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Schubert: Symphonies 3 & 8 / Carlos Kleiber, Wiener Philharmoniker
Beethoven: Symphonie No. 6
Beethoven: Symphonie 7 [Hybrid SACD]
Dvorak: Piano Concerto; Schubert: 'Wanderer' Fantasy / Richter, Kleiber

ASIN: B0002QXRM0
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Customer Reviews:

A Great Tribute To Carlos Kleiber.......2006-11-07

Kleiber brings the same insights of his classic recording of Beethoven's 5th to bear on Brahms's 4th symphony. This is an all-time great recording, probably the most furious and passionate performance since Furtwangler's transcendental account during World War II.

The entire first movement is played wonderfully and the coda is astonishing in it's drama. In the second movement Kleiber is perhaps not as warm as other conductors but overall he's a success. The glitter and gold of the scherzo is brought out in full and the finale, the passacaglia is truly masterful, rising to a magnificient close. Kleiber surpasses all of Karajan's performances here as well as any other competitor except the great Furtwangler.

The Schubert 8th is a very dignified and strikingly dramatic traversal of this perennial favorite. Some people won't take to the forceful accents but it's great to hear Schubert played this way from time to time. The excerpts from Kleiber's recording of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde are a nice compliment to Brahms and Schubert. Kleiber's soprano in the Liebestod is the fresh voiced Margaret Price and she sounds great but hardly approaches the depth and power of Birgit Nilsson or Jessye Norman in this spectacular end to Tristan and Isolde.

Not everything is perfect, the sound on this CD is still somewhat edgy in climaxes, lacking lushness and warmth as to be expected in the early digital recording of the Brahms symphony and the Wagner excerpts. These date from 1980 or thereabouts. The analogue Schubert is also similiar sound wise, typical Deutsche Grammophon stuff from the 1970's. All of these performances were previously part of several CDs in the DG Originals series and they are all remastered using Original-Image Bit-Processing, DG's signature remastering technique. Buy this CD and enjoy it, although the sound is not the greatest by modern day standards, the performances are exceptional and must be a part of any serious collection.

One of the finest bargains in the entire classical catalog.......2006-04-10

One in a while one of the classical labels does something a bit more than right. I owned Kleiber's famous version of Brahms's 4th back in the heady days of the LP and would have bought just that on CD. But to commemorate the career and extremely limited recording career of Carlos Kleiber they repackaged Brahms's 4th with Kleiber's nearly as excellent version of Schubert's Unfinished Symphony along with excerpts from Wagner to produce a horn of plenty for music lovers. Kleiber produced fewer recordings than any other great conductor of his generation, but despite his rather meager output will be remembered for generations to come on the basis of the amazing quality of a few of these discs. There are several candidates for the best recording of Brahms's Fourth, but this is one of them and is certainly one that one has to take into account when evaluating the finest versions on record. All Kleiber's recordings will, of course, always take a bit of a back seat to his very famous recording of Beethoven's Fifth and Seventh symphonies.

Even if one already owns multiple versions of both the Brahms and Schubert this is a disc that any classical music lover should get. Rarely will you see two such classic version of major orchestral works coupled together on at a bargain price. This disc truly should be in the library of everyone who doesn't already own the works on their original CD releases.

DG did the right thing!.......2004-11-22

here i think it is unnecessary to go to lengths to comment on how great these performances are. i just want to say DG did the right thing in commemoration of great Carlos Kleiber (1930-2004). i also wonder what DG will do with the Brahms's 4th in its originals. it is obvious that no one will buy that in the future.

so if you still haven't got the Brahms' 4th by Kleiber, don't miss this any more!

The BEST Brahms 4.......2004-11-14

If you can only buy one CD of Brahms 4th symphony then buy this one. If you can buy two then get the Haitink/concertgebouw recording also. As is usually the case with DG, the sound is quite good.