I heard this the first time in 1960 as a six year old visiting my grandparents in Cleveland. They took me to hear this performed under conductor George Szell. I mistakenly clapped at the end of the 1st movement, but Mr Szell was very kind when he noted that I was just a child. (We had seats just below him in the Orchestra section). I've never forgotten how moved I was by this symphony, or the conductor's indulgence to a new listener.

RIP Bernard Haitink 1929-2021 It's not that I'm shocked - he lived 92 years in this life. I'm very saddened to hear of his passing though. Haitink was one of the greatest conductors of our age and a true ambassador of his art. Humble and faithful to the music in every situation, his sober and revealing visions of such a wide range of repertoire has left us with a rich recorded legacy of some of the greatest reference recordings, made with the greatest orcheatras in the world. And that's without even touching on his eminently distinguished career with the great Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. Since the very beginning of my journey with orchestral music, my record collection has gotten steadily more littered with Haitink readings. Despite his notable absence of flamboyance or histrionics - dare I say ego, even - with Haitink, you can safely go for absolutely ANY of his recordings, without ANY hesitation or need for prior research or reviews, and rest assured in the knowledge that you'll ALWAYS be presented with an outstanding, emotionally intelligent and profound rendition of whatever that piece may be. There's not many conductors in that bracket. I was just lucky enough to catch Haitink live a couple of times, including a stunning Bruckner 6th symphony with the Dresden Staatskapelle. I'm very sad to hear he has left us.

Saddened after the news, RIP Bernard Haitink you will be missed, but remembered as one of a great conductors among the greatest.

We don't talk about it very often, but the camera work is one of the best I have ever seen! Whoever decided what frame to show really knows well the symphony and which player/section has the important line. Amazing!

One of the greatest symphonies of all, led by one of the greatest conductors of all. Maestro Haitink spent a lifetime on the podium, with the focus on serving the music first and foremost.

Thank you Haitink for this one! It's moving, it's Brahms! Rest in harmonic peace.

What a joy to listen to Brahms under Bernard Haitink RIP! What a great Director!

The ending cadence of the first movement gotta be one of the most powerful plagal cadences in history.

No words. I feel like I'm hearing this for the first time in my life.

Bernard Haitink CH KBE (Order of the Companions of Honour) (Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) is one of the greatest conductors in the world. We are lucky to have so many of his great recordings and videos. He has conducted the world's greatest orchestras.

1st movement 00:01 2nd movement 12:50 3rd movement 23:30 4th movement 29:40

My favourite Simphony of Brahms. One of the highest peaks of entire History of Music of all times...Thanks for sharing, BRAVISSIMI!!

There's an awful lot of skill and practise behinf being able to play your instrument, read and understand the musical score, keep up with it too, and then keep track of the conductor's movement on top of all that. All of these are excellent professionals and artists. Hats off!

By far, his finest symphony. I love it!!

Journey Through the Ages with Classical Symphony. 🎼💫 From the Baroque to the Romantic era, each piece tells a unique story. The elegance and complexity of classical music are a testament to the enduring power of artistic expression.

This is my first time listening to Brahms. It's amazing just how "modern" the music feels to me. Classical is anything but "classical," in a way.

I was there!

By far the greatest performance of this symphony that I’ve ever heard. So tight and controlled but also full and emotional. I LOVE it!!!!

I don't understand...Why this video doesn't have more views than this, is beyond me...A performance of this symphony such as this, including its production, surpasses most I've seen here on KZfaq by far....And this is one piece I've seen preformed in concert many times..in two different parts of the world...It's one of my absolute favorites...This, the Organ Symphony by Saint Saens, the Fantastique Symphony, by Berlioz, the Rachmaninoff's piano concerto no. 2, The Emperor Concerto by Beethoven, among others....Performance execution and, in a video like this, production is important..And I think this performance has everything..I would think it'd be more appreciated...A tip of the hat for Mr Haitink...

Bernard Haitink the most important conductor in Europa .He is a conductor with a unique sensibility and a particular style in musical performance and this makes him unique.

Why is it that I come back to Brahms when things are tough?i kept listening to the first movement after seeing my husband in hospital and what do I do now? I have the earphones on and listen to it again. So soothing...love Brahms.i have known him for more the 70 years!

Beautiful gentle and sensitive tempi choices. Well oiled orchestra. The very best symphony anyone wrote. Who could wish for more?

One of my absolute favorites!! I could play this again and again. How could anyone not love classical music?

My favorite Brahms symphony

Sooooo very clean and yet completely full of emotions. Scintillating woodwind section, as well. What a completely satisfying performance. Haitink is a master.

Nobody has better reading of B symphonies than Haitink

Playing the 1st movement today on a concert (cello), one of my favourites of today's repertoires.

The last movement is perfection and you can see Haitink knows they are reaching exalted heights. R.I.P.

Maestro Haitink, without doubt the greatest Conductor the Dutch has ever produced was in his 80's when he and this orchestra produced this epic performance. RIP Bernard, you've given us so much. Disgracefully not a single UK TV news channel had the decency to acknowledge your passing in October. I hope the producers all rot in hell.

Браво!!!!!!Сразу вспомнились годы учебы, музыкальная литература, оркестр, Брамс, 4 симфония,3 часть!!!!!! Огромное спасибо за прекрасный звук!!!!!

Quick note. 2nd movement, two-thirds through, after the slow theme is played for the second time by the whole orchestra in unison, then it pauses and grows into a marvelous uplifting melody surging upwards. It was only after the 50th listening that I realized that melody is a variation on the slow theme. Maybe everyone else knew that, but I wanted to share it in case you didn't. Listen again. This whole symphony is rife with variations.

what a passionate impressive Brahms 🎶im crying now!!! Thank you.....

Allegro non troppo 0:03 - A: 0:03 - B: 4:09 - A': 7:30 Andante moderato 12:54 - A: 12:54 - B: 15:26 - A': 18:17 - C: 19:54 - Coda: 21:40 Allegro giocoso - Poco meno presto - Tempo I 23:35 - A: 23:35 - B: 24:59 - A': 28:38 Allegro energico e passionato - Più Allegro 29:43 - 30:35 - 32:00 - 35:00 - 36:59 - 37:47

Zonder enig voorbehoud: een fantastische uitvoering. Haitink wist al vanaf zijn begin bij ons Concertgebouworkest weg met Brahms, getuige de Philips-opnamen van wat later, begin 70-er jaren, maar wat hij hier neerzet is ongehoord & één van zijn grootste prestaties. Het betreft een compositie die ik zo vrij ben te beschouwen als het grootste muzikale meesterwerk van de 2e helft der 19e eeuw. En -muziekhistorisch gezien - bovendien Brahms' afscheid van die eeuw. Met, even intens en gepassioneerd als deze symfonie klinkt, en ook door de componist voor wel zeker gewettigd gehouden, grote bezorgdheid over wat er zal volgen ! Wij weten inmiddels, in al weer de 21e eeuw aangeland, van het Grote Gelijk van deze Grootmeeester.

What a riveting, impressive performance of my favorite Brahms symphony! Wonderful orchestra under the impressive and elegant maestro Haitink. RIP. Since this was a live performance, bravo also to the audience (except for one or two!) for holding off the coughing and clearing of throats until the breaks! Thank you for this wonderful camera work.

Brahms has so much to say in the dramatic unfolding of the exposition. Each theme logically blends into the next theme. The development is extremely short. He wastes no time going to the recap and repeating the beauty and majesty almost exactly.This along with the first movement of the second piano concerto is one of the all time great pieces of symphonic music.

The Maestro looks moved - even drained - at the end. This was a magnificent performance.

My favorite of ALL symphonies, I've always loved this masterpiece! I had the good fortune of playing it in orchestra back in college, a tricky transposition for my Bb trumpet, as the part is scored for trumpet in E.

Die Aufnahme ist zum Niederknien, zum Schwelgen, zum Mitbrummen, zum Genießen... Augen zu und mit den Ohren aufsaugen. Wie ein Menü bei dem alles stimmt: samtig, feurig, schmeichelnd. Alles rund und wohlig. Ich bin begeistert, Brahms wäre es sicher auch.

deeply moved by authentic interpretation, Haitink Bravo

the ending of 4th mvnt is epic

I seriously love the Chamber Orchestra of Europe!

Tive o prazer de escutar Brahms no Teatro Municipal de São Paulo...foi emocionante ❤️

Very very fine performance, especially strings. Exactly the right sized orchestra too! One or two ear-catching cock-ups in French horn intonation, but then the RFH is infamous for hot temperatures and perilous playing conditions. Love andrea

Absolutely gorgeous. Haitink is in top form.

The consummate Brahms' work of form and content joined together perfectly. A joy to watch. Thank you.

one of the best Brahms 4s I've ever seen or heard. the phrasing of familiar lines is fresh and interesting, again and again I think to myself "ah that's how that line should go!" - there is also a lot of rhythmic drive and energy to the playing. i never much liked the older Haitink performances of Brahms but this is wonderful

This is a classic music masterpiece

Great work by the camera to show how hard the orchestra works to produce music. I also adore haitnik's somewhat restrained style; as the camera shows him keeping rubato under restraint --a crucial importance as the orchestra works its way thru The Passaglia. lastly, of course the wonderful skills of the particulars in their obbliggato moments. In short, Haitnik demonstrates with pure genius that the symphonic form as such must nesessarily de-compose itself into harmonic parts that ostensibly worj against a boffo over-interpretation by a self-proclaimed genius conductor...

sublime performance of a transcendent work of art.

He escuchado más de una treintena de ciclos completos de las sinfonías de Brahms, y los dos mejores ciclos se los he escuchado al mismo director, con dos orquestas totalmente diferentes: la Sinfónica de Londres y esta, la orquesta fundada por Claudio Abbado. Bernard Hatink entrega dos versiones espectaculares, llenas de pasión e inteligencia, fuerza expresiva, y atención a los detalles. Dos orquestas que siguen sus instrucciones a la perfección, en dos versiones y dos ciclos que me parecen insuperables. Un gigante de la batuta, muy, pero muy por encima del resto.

that third movement was my intro to Brahms. The great keyboardist for the rock group Yes (Rik Wakeman) covered it on synthesizers on their classic album Fragile. Have loved Brahms ever sense.

As a fan of classics and rock, I now know where Rick Wakeman's Cans & Brahms comes from. Thank you.

1:28 goosebumps every time

Ein großartiges Konzert - und Dankeschön von Herzen an die Musiker und den unvergleichlichen Bernhard Haitink, der mir seit 50 Jahren Freude und Ermutigung gibt. Danke auch dem Filmteam und allen anderen Unterstützern der "Proms" für die vielen musikalischen Geschenke an die Welt.

So beautiful. Herr Brahms, my hero!

My grandfather used to work at Desilu & Paramount Pictures in Hollywood, and back around maybe 1963? they were creating the set for Star Trek and they had the first Starship Enterprise built, and they played Brahms 4th on a record turntable, on the set as they worked, they played it all the time. This is the unofficial theme for the original Star Trek

I love this first movement it is speaking to the soul lyrical and beautiful Bernard Haitink’s gift is bringing out the delicately woven melodies with these receptive musicians. The whole symphony is wonderful

Love this so much!! And Maestro conducting from memory is so amazing ❤

This blows my mind everyday. Thankyou brother Brahms

The third movement is my absolute favorites! I'm in the York Junior symphony and for our fall concert we played an arrangement of that movement and I fell in love with the original movement! I wish we played the original though even know it's not appropriate for the students in that ensemble because it's grades 5-8! And you can tell by the skills that are in there and that even a very gifted 5th grade string player would not be able to do that yet! That would be high school level!

Замечательный Брамс, все таки! Сколько страсти и чувств!

Bernard Haitink is amazing, in my opinion the greatest of his generation!

하이팅크 지휘자님 부고 뉴스를 접한 오늘 아침...영상 속 지휘 모습이 다른 날보다 더욱 특별한 느낌으로 각인됩니다 삼가 고인의 명복을 빕니다 🙏

0:00 I. Allegro non troppo 12:49 II. Andante moderato 23:31 III. Allegro giocoso 29:38 IV. Allegro energico e passionato

Wonderful to hear a Brahms symphony played with the proper size orchestra and not the 100+ player groups for Wagner, Mahler, Bruckner, etc. The clarity of line is so important in Brahms and that can not be optimally performed with a large modern orchestra.

For me this is the best performance of this great symphony all together with this of Lenard Bernstein!!! And in bonus this Orquestra diretor is a very beautiful and handsome man and all the musicians in the orquestra too!!! It's a infinite pleasure to look at them, during the performance!!! Beijos da Bulgaria e do Brasil prá todos vocês!!!! ( Kisses from Bulgaria and Brazil for all of you!!!) 💘😍🏩💌💖💓💘😍🏩💌💖💓💘😍🏩💌💖💓💘😍🏩💌💖💓💘😍🏩💌💖💓💘😍🏩💌💖💓💘😍🏩💌💖💓💘

Had the pleasure of listening to Brahms at La Scala Milan

00:01 I - Allegro non troppo 12:52 II - Andante moderato 23:34 III - Allegro giocoso 29:42 IV - Allegro energico e passionato

Wonderful Brahms playing!

Symphonies 2 , 3 and 4 are full of big tunes. I have always thought that the 1st symphony never really "gets going ". The same can't be said of this wonderful rendering of the 4th. Never overstated. Every section working towards an excellent performance.

💐 Bravo 💐 07:30 - 12:00 - 30:35 - Bach ! 32:35 - Beautiful Melody 37:24 - Magnificent and exaggerated ending 38:57 🙏

The Brahms 4th symphony is delightful.

Excellent camera work and a Excellent performance . Colin

Well this is just frickin brilliant, if I may say so.

Chamber orchestra :) NO DISLIKES :) :). I'm loving this performance! Doesn't have to be big to be great. Elegant!

Я в восторге!Сколько вложено души как дирижером -так и оркестром!

21:12 one of the most beautiful momments in music!

Simply wonderful! The orchestra, all played with endeavor. And the maestro, in control with the most economical of gestures.

素晴らしい演奏ですね😊 感動しました❤ 素敵な動画どうもありがとうございます！

Just perfect.

Rest In Power, Legend.

Une oeuvre magistrale de beautés, de nuances, d’inventivités ! BRAHMS l’un des tous meilleurs compositeurs pour ma part. Avec néanmoins ma passion pour les compositions et la musicalité de Johan Sebastian Bach. Mais Brahms est le plus inventif pour l’harmonie et les variantes pour orchestres.

Beautiful!! Thanks for sharing!

Magnifique !

Marvelous. Excellent orchestra. Mr. Haitings is a master in coducting.

one of my favourite

So beautiful.

Замечательное исполнение!)))))))))))❤️

Absolument exceptionnel à tous niveaux !

Una maravilla. Excelente la flauta. Gran versión.

Bellisimo!...muchas gracias!

Brahms and Haitink , a match made in heaven. One of my prize position's was an early Phillips/Argo recording of all Brahms' four symphonies with Bernard Haitink and the Concertgebouw orchestra.

Wunderschöne live Aufführung dieses perfekt konstruierten Meisterwerks mit seidigen Töne aller Streicher, brillanten Töne aller Metallbläser und, vor allem, milden Töne aller Holzbläser. Der erfahrene Maestro dirigiert das kompakte und perfekt trainierte Orchester im gut phrasierten Tempo mit effektiv kontrollierter Dynamik. Echt bewundernswert!

Great performance of a masterpiece.

Imprecionante!!!!

M. Haitink a l'air d'un homme très classe!!!

Wunderschöne Aufführung dieser perfekt konstruierten Sinfonie mit gut harmonisierten und perfekt balancierten Tönen aller Instrumente. Der zweite Satz klingt besonders schön und echt friedlich. Der unvergleichliche Dirigent leitet das ausgezeichnete Kammerorchester im angemessenen Tempo und mit angenehmer Dynamik. Alles ist bewundernswert!

great performance ever! RIP maestro

This must be what heaven feels like!