Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

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Music reviews of Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

Music Review: Brahms in the good hands of Carlos Kleiber
Rating: 5 Stars

The first movement is quite lush and lyrical, the strings able to elicit a beautiful sound. The heroism that makes itself present in the second theme is, again, set behind an overall tragic atmosphere, Kleiber giving the feeling of an army bravely facing one twice it's size.
The second movement is quite beautiful and the balancing that Kleiber achieves between the sections is amazing. The horn solos are lovely. It's also very refreshing to hear pizzicato attacks that are together!
The third movement is jubilant, very much in the character of Brahms scherzos in earlier symphonies and Kleiber handles it very well. One can hear the string passages executed cleanly and flawlessly. The energy is everpreseent in this movement and, again using the previous analogy, Kleiber gives the feeling of a brief victory.
The fourth movement is tragic through and through, even during moments of delicate beauty. I personally like this interpretation of the fourth movement, despite Kleiber's tendency to change tempos more often then he usually does, because the Piu Allegro coda actually sounds Piu Allegro. Far too often I find recordings where, though the tempo actually does move faster, the change of phrase from three to a bar to one to a bar prevents the faster tempo from coming through. Here, Kleiber takes it a tempo that feels faster in the new phrase division and gives the coda a climactic drive leading to
a tragic finale filled with a sense of both martyrdom and final despair.
Overall, the recording made by Carlos Kleiber and the Vienna Philharmonic is exquisite. Though there are a few times where the rhythm and cohesiveness is lost for a few moments, these are only minor flaws. The playing is generally very clean and lush and I'm always happy to hear a thoughtful timpanist and brass section, who never overpower when they aren't neccessary to do so. The balancing is spectacular, every chord is crisp and powerful, and the dynamics are followed to the letter. It's everything that one would want in a Brahms' Symphony No. 4, with the delicacy, drama, and power from the touch of a master like Carlos Kleiber.

Description of Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98