The legendary Berlin Philharmonic conductor Herbert von Karajan is chronicled as he conducts two important classical pieces. Music director Von Karajan led the orchestra from 1956 until his death in 1989, creating a legacy of outstanding performances. In 1984, Von Karajan agreed to have a camera crew record a Berlin Philharmonic performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphonies 1 and 8, two of the composer's finest.