Karajan’s magnificent cycle of Bruckner symphonies, recorded between 1976 and 1978, brings a yardstick by which others have been measured and – at mid-price – must be a clear first choice. We have sung the praises of these recordings loud and long, and in their new format they make outstanding value. There are many fine individual recordings of these works: Karl Boehm’s strength in the Fourth gives the impression that in every bar he knows where he is going (Decca 475 8403); and Sinopoli’s live recording of the Fifth brings playing of incandescent beauty from the Dresden Staatskapelle. But Karajan’s readings are not just poised but superbly structured on every level, and the playing of the Berlin Philharmonic throughout the cycle is unforgettably fine, one of his finest achievements on record.
