Bruckner's Fourth Symphony underwent a complicated revision history. This recording uses the Nowak from 1886. Bruckner himself nicknamed this symphony "The Romantic." Its 1881 premiere marked his first Viennese triumph; it remains his most popular symphony, despite its occasional repetitiousness and moments when grandeur becomes grandiosity. As always, the spirit of Wagner hovers over the harmonies and the orchestration. The solemn processionals and chorales reveal the devout Catholic, while the sonorities and the frequent rests and pauses recall the organist resetting his stops. The Symphony abounds with long, arching melodies - somber and prayerful, soaring and ecstatic - and innumerable climaxes, often aborted but gathering for the final triumph. The incomparable Berlin Philharmonic revels in the glorious orchestral sound, from each individual solo to the massed tuttis. The performance is immensely exciting, expressive, and evocative. The only flaw is the excessive dynamic contrast; keep a finger on the volume-control.--Edith Eisler