Unaccountably, I hadn't previously heard this Karajan performance of Mahler's Fourth even though it's been available on LP since 1979. Now it comes as the seventh CD version of this symphony, and it has bowled me over. Such playing (though if I'm to be hyper-critical I don't care for some of the solo-violin playing), such excellent recording balance and, above all, such conducting, Karajan at his most relaxed and winning, making all the humorous and fantastic points in the score with such affection. Such moments, too, as the coda of the slow movement leave one open-mouthed at the sheer beauty of execution and interpretation. Edith Mathis enters perfectly into the spirit of the music and the performance. Yet any of the recordings I have listed above has comparable virtues: Kathleen Battle's singing of the finale with Maazel (CBS) is a delight which we are privileged to be able to recall at the turn of a switch and both Haitink (Philips) and Tennstedt (EMI) penetrate to the heart of this adorable work as unerringly as does Karajan. For a warm CD sound, I think the Karajan has it.
MK