Symphony No.4: Schmidt-Isserstedt / BBC SO +Weber, Tippett

Berlin-born Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (1900 ? 1973) was steeped in the German tradition. He formed the NDR Orchestra in Hamburg, which he conducted for 26 years. He made his US debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1961, and toured the US with the NDRSO in 1969 as well as Europe, Japan etc. He was principal conductor of the Stockholm Philharmonic (1955-64), and appeared frequently at the opera houses in Hamburg, Munich, Covent Garden and Glyndebourne. He recorded all the Beethoven Symphonies and Concertos with the Vienna Philharmonic for Decca.

These rare BBCSO performances from 1971 are in excellent stereo, and represent the very best of Schmidt-Isserstedt’s art, with strong and passionate performances of Weber and Brahms, with one of the few contemporary works he liked: Tippett’s Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli. This is Schmidt-Isserstedt’s debut on BBC Legends.