Brahms: Symphony No. 4

Meet conductor Simone Young and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in Johannes Brahms’s masterfully orchestrated Fourth Symphony.

The influence of nature in Johannes Brahms’s Fourth Symphony is evident. Much like autumn, it is described not only as dark but filled with vivid colors. In the piece, you will find deep, gentle, and somewhat resigned music with a rare well-balanced form and character. Perhaps you can envision the slopes of the Alps and beautiful scenery as Brahms did outside his window while composing the symphony.

This symphony is Brahms’s last, and he conducted its premiere himself on October 25, 1885. 139 years later, Australian conductor Simone Young takes on the work at the Gothenburg Concert Hall alongside the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.

Simone Young

Australian Simone Young is well-known among orchestras in opera houses and concert halls worldwide. Equally at home navigating the waters of our most beloved composers as she is in the waves of contemporary music. Simone Young is the chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, but she is also a passionate and expressive pianist who enjoys performing chamber music with musicians in the SSO.

The concert was recorded for GSOplay on February 1, 2024.