Furtwängler’s choice of tempo here is a true andante con moto, faster from what some would have expected, and clearly different from his choice of an adagio tempo, such as in the 2nd movement of the 4th Symphony. Out of sheer curiosity, and – O what a wonderful coincidence ! - here is a small excerpt of the second variation of this Andante con moto (1954) compared to the identical one from the Adagio of Beethoven’s 4th Symphony. The listener can witness with deep interest the subtle difference between both tempi.

Principal theme

In this particular movement, perhaps more than in any other part of the symphony, the 1937 version strikes us by the magical quality of its lyricism, which never falls into undue sentimentality.

Here is the recurrence of the theme by the full orchestra : the listener can compare the lyricism of 1937, to the hope expressed in the 1943 version, and again to the detached imperial rendering of 1954.

L'idée fixe

The wonderful theme that Berlioz called "l’idée fixe" shall always be tinted with a definite lyrical shading.

Here is the last recurrence of l’idée fixe, openly jubilant in 1937, and intensely cantabile in all 3 versions.

First fortissimo

The tutti (1st, 2nd & 3rd fortissimi) acutely exhibit the fundamental differences between the 3 performances.

Now, the celebrated minor variation after the 3rd tutti :this wonderful passage tempts the listener into indulging in some exercises in Furtwängler’s metaphysics. After the triumphant 3rd ff, Beethoven suddenly brings the hero (or the listener) back to more modesty, such as the sage used to whisper into a Roman conqueror’s ear : “Remember that thou art only a mortal”. This variation sounds in 12 different ways in all 12 Furtwängler recordings ! Here then, is a perfect instance of a Furtwängler variable, and the great conductor’s incessant search for the Truth.

Finally, the martellato passage in the coda has always paved the way to the 3rd movement, especially for the tempo adopted there later on. This is a famous Furtwängler constant.