Bernstein conducts Brahms: Symphony No. 2

It seemed like an unlikely match. Leonard Bernstein – toast of Broadway turned superstar maestro – and the Wiener Philharmoniker, that most venerable (and proud) of great Central European orchestras. But somehow, indisputably, they clicked, and there's hardly a recording of Bernstein and the Viennese orchestra that doesn't convey a very special atmosphere and affection: great musicians at ease together, and rejoicing in each other's artistry. This 1982 performance of Brahms's lyrical Second Symphony captures that relationship in all its warmth, its respect and its joyful spontaneity – right there in the magnificent setting of Vienna's historic Musikverein.

Ensemble: 

Wiener Philharmoniker

Conductor: 

Leonard Bernstein