Sym.4: Bernstein / Nyp +academic, Tragic

When the fourth and last symphony of quintessential romantic composer Johannes Brahms premiered in Meiningen, Germany on October 25, 1885, E minor was considered an "inappropriate" key for a symphony to be written in. Not only was the key odd, but the fact that the depressing work ended tragically with no uplifting, major cadence at the end made the work completely abstract and unacceptable.
Over 100 years after the premiere of Brahms's Symphony No. 4, the work has become one of his most endearing compositions that has helped to secure his formidable reputation. On this recording, Leonard Bernstein leads the New York Philharmonic in a moving rendition of this inventive symphony.
During the fast sections, Bernstein represents the composer's dramatic tendencies, and throughout the slow movements he extracts a passion from the strings that makes listeners want to hold on to their seats to soften the blow of the intensity. Throughout the entire symphony, Bernstein manages to produce a level of artistry and drama that yields a suitable representation of Brahms's swan song.