Skip to content
    skip to navigation

    Classic FM

    Listen

    On Air Now

    Classic FM's More Music Drive with John Brunning 4pm - 7pm

    Classic FM's More Music Drive with John Brunning

    Now Playing

    Widmung Opus 25 No.1 Robert Schumann Download 'Widmung Opus 25 No.1' on iTunes

    Widmung Opus 25 No.1 artwork
    • Playlist
    • Schedule
    • Home
    • Radio
    • News
    • Discover Music
    • Composers
    • Artists
    • Lifestyle
    • Win
    • Charity
    • Podcasts
    • Events
    • Dating
    • Follow us on:
      Follow Classic FM on Twitter
      Follow Classic FM on Facebook
      Follow Classic FM on Instagram
      Follow Classic FM on Youtube

    Artists

    Berlin Phil

    • Berlin Phil Home
    • Pictures
    • News
    • More Artists

    The Berlin Philharmonic's best recordings

    Past conductors of the esteemed orchestra have included Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan, and Claudio Abbado. Now, with Simon Rattle at the helm, the orchestra continue to create and record some of the best classical music in the repertory. Listen and download our pick of the best recordings.

    1. album cover

      1. Schubert, Symphony No. 9, Haydn, Symphony No. 88

      An empathetic, passionate rendition of two great symphonies, played by the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of legendary conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler in 1951-52.

    2. album cover

      2. Rachmaninov, Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

      Performed by Leif Ove Andsnes and conducted by the great Antonio Pappano, this 2006 release won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with orchestra). Expect passion, melancholy and exuberance as orchestra and soloist make the most of the lush orchestration.

    3. album cover

      3. Brahms, Symphony No. 4

      Herbert von Karajan conducted recordings of Brahms' epic Symphony No. 4 in 1973 on DVD, in 1977 on CD, and once more in 1988. This 1990 release is the 1988 recording, containing more dynamic contrasts than the previous versions, but the overall vision changes little. (DVD) and 1977 (CD) recordings, the overall vision and execution in 1988 had changed little.

    4. album cover

      4. Dvořák, Symphony Nos. 8 & 9

      Kubelik recorded Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 a number of times, but it's never sounded better than on this legendary recording.

    5. album cover

      5. Mahler, Symphony No. 9

      Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic recording of Mahler's earth-shattering Symphony No. 9 won the Orchestral Record of the Year at the Gramophone Awards in 1981, and Bernstein picked up a Grammy in 1993 for his remastered 1979 recording. It's a hard act to follow for Simon Rattle's 2008 recording, but it's a masterful interpretation of the music - unsentimental and thoughtful.

    6. album cover

      6. Dvořák, Cello Concerto, Tchaikovsky, Rococo Variations

      An album of musical legends: the Berlin Philharmonic, Karajan, and the great Rostropovich. A must-own for any collector.

    7. album cover

      7. South American Getaway

      An unexpected gem from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's cello section, who have decided to go it alone and establish themselves as recording artists in their own right. You can hear the beautifully weighty sound of the lower strings in Karajan's recording of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, but this is a light-hearted showcase of what the cello can do as a solo instrument.

    8. album cover

      8. Holst, The Planets

      A recording full of drama, intrigue and beauty, Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic's album of The Planets is a treat. It also includes 'Pluto', by Colin Matthews, as an addition to the suites.

    9. album cover

      9. Mahler, Des Knaben Wunderhorn

      Winner of a Grammy Award in 2000 for Best Classical Vocal Performance, this recording of Mahler's 'Des Knaben Wunderhorn', this is a wonderfully crisp and idiomatic take on Mahler's music.

    10. album cover

      10. Beethoven, Symphony No. 9

      Many collectors consider this to be Karajan’s finest of three recorded Beethoven cycles with the Berlin Philharmonic, from 1962-3. A vibrant interpretation of this legendary musical work.

    Berlin Philharmonic latest features

    See more Berlin Philharmonic latest features

    Vineta Sareika-Völkner is the Berlin Phil’s first ever female concertmaster

    Berlin Phil announces first ever female concertmaster in 141-year history, Vineta Sareika-Völkner

    Berlin Philharmonic prank video

    The Berlin Philharmonic hoped to prank a soloist by playing the wrong concerto… but it didn’t go to plan

    Berlin Philharmonic in concert

    Live orchestral concerts to begin again – Berlin Phil schedules first post-lockdown performance for this Saturday

    Coronavirus

    Design for new London concert hall

    Designs for £288m London concert hall unveiled in new animation

    Menahem Pressler

    Watch the amazing moment 90-year-old Menahem Pressler made his DEBUT with the Berlin Philharmonic

    Discover Music

    New releases 8th may

    New releases: Esther Yoo performs Tchaikovsky and 'Czerny: The Romantic Piano Concerto'

    Berlin Philharmonic Simon Rattle

    8 reasons we absolutely love the Berlin Philharmonic

    kirill petrenko

    Kirill Petrenko is the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic

    Best classical music

    See more Best classical music

    The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

    The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

    Discover Music

    Best symphonies: Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonin Dvorak and Florence Price

    The 15 greatest symphonies of all time

    Discover Music

    4 eras of classical music

    The 4 eras of classical music: a quick guide

    Discover Music

    Women composers gallery

    21 of the greatest women composers in classical music

    Discover Music

    Best pianists of all time

    The 25 best pianists of all time

    Discover Music

    Most romantic opera duets (Stacey Alleaume as Violetta and Liparit Avertisyan as Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata in Sydney, 2022)

    The 10 most romantic opera duets of all time

    Discover Music

    Latest on Classic FM

    The history of the castrati

    What was a castrato? And what did they sound like? Inside their sinister history...

    Discover Music

    Classic FM’s Rising Stars: 30 brilliant musicians under the age of 30 we’re celebrating in 2023.

    Classic FM’s Rising Stars: 30 sensational musicians performing in 2023

    Discover Music

    The Stumpff Lock in a laboratory at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Germany.

    Scientific analysis of Beethoven’s DNA reveals he had Hepatitis B and high risk of liver disease

    Beethoven

    Classical Dreams is a Global Player exclusive podcast

    Listen to new ‘Classical Dreams’ podcast episodes on World Sleep Day

    Pachelbel’s Canon on trains

    Pachelbel’s Canon… honked out by hundreds of train horns in a hilarious medley

    20 of the greatest piano concertos of all time. Pictured (L-R): Arsha Kaviani, Mitsuko Uchida, Yuja Wang.

    The 20 best piano concertos of all time

    Discover Music

    The 292-year-old Guarneri violin known as the ‘Baltic’

    Centuries-old Italian violin breaks auction records after selling at £7.71 million

    Kingdom Hearts; World of Warcraft; Final Fantasy

    The 20 best video game soundtracks of all time

    Discover Music

    Met Opera ordered to pay Anna Netrebko $200,000 for cancellations over Putin ties

    Met Opera ordered to pay Anna Netrebko $200,000 for cancellations over Putin ties

    New York Metropolitan Opera

    This week’s on-air highlights – including Album of the Week and Drive Discovery.

    This week’s Classic FM radio highlights – including Album of the Week and Drive Discovery

    Back to top

    Also on Classic FM

    • Listen to Global Player
    • Alexander Armstrong on Classic FM
    • Google Doodle
    • Quizzes
    • Mozart
    • Debussy
    • Music theory
    • Instruments
    • Classic FM Live
    • Brahms
    • Vivaldi
    • Bach
    • LBC News
    • Tchaikovsky
    • Chopin
    • Andrea Bocelli
    • Florence Price
    • Beethoven
    • Best classical music
    • Classic FM Requests
    • Best pianists
    • Harry Potter music
    • Saturday Night at the Movies
    • Star Wars soundtrack
    • Composer or pasta
    • Music for Studying
    • Best violinists
    • Classical music tearjerkers
    • Relaxing classical

    Useful Links

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • How To Listen
    • About Classic FM
    • Company Details
    • Cookies
    • Privacy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Advertise
    • Global Jobs

    Download the app

    Get it on the app store Get it on Google Play

    Follow Us

    Follow Classic FM on Twitter
    Follow Classic FM on Facebook
    Follow Classic FM on Instagram
    Follow Classic FM on Youtube
    © Global 2023
    30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA
    Privacy Manager