He continued to work very hard performing , conducting , and recording until his death in 1989 . In Karajan 's last years he left the Berlin Philharmonic after arguments with them , and concentrated on working again with the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic . He continued to perform , conduct and record prolifically until his death in Anif in 1989 , mainly with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic .