Brahms Symphony No. 4 with Herbert Blomstedt

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Herbert Blomstedt, conductor
Tanglewood Festival Chorus
    James Burton, conductor

BRAHMS Nänie, for chorus and orchestra
BRAHMS Schicksalslied, for chorus and orchestra
BRAHMS Symphony No. 4

Two choral masterpieces, Brahms’ Nänie (Lament) and Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny), crystallize the haunting beauty of classical poetry set to music, exploring fate, loss, and divine indifference. Brahms’ fourth and final symphony is a work of brooding intensity, a symphonic elegy that balances lyrical warmth with memorable motifs and an explosive grand finale. Initially nervous about the work's reception, Brahms downplayed the symphony, calling it "a bunch of polkas and waltzes." While dance elements are present, the truth is that these dances form the foundation of a mountain of a piece that capped off Brahms's career.