I have listened to the entire symphony twice. The last two movements 3 times. The first movement is quite well-structured, with strong content and emotional depth. The scherzo relies on repetition; very attractive material and catchy pulsing rhythms might have been developed a bit more rigorously, considering it is the symphony's only up-tempo movement between two large scale slow movements. The finale starts quite well with a very mysterious sounding motif that is then more extensively developed. It feels early on that some kind of tension is building instead the tension dies and only very gradually (at around 5 minutes) do we come to the movement's only real climax, and it doesn't project a very powerful musical statement or thematic revelation. It's one reason the last movement's structure isn't very convincing, certainly lacking the tension of the 1st movement. Lovely in parts, but underwhelming for a symphonic finale. Overall, there is a distinctive and consistent sound harmonically throughout, and the expression is honest and direct...but it doesn't take us any place we haven't been before. And there is a curious insistence on lower brass sonorities...which rather than being rich or ominous (certainly not with these gentle moods) it creates a dull muffled sound, when this string-heavy sound world could have used a dash of brightness.
I have listened to the entire symphony twice. The last two movements 3 times. The first movement is quite well-structured, with strong content and emotional depth. The scherzo relies on repetition; very attractive material and catchy pulsing rhythms might have been developed a bit more rigorously, considering it is the symphony's only up-tempo movement between two large scale slow movements. The finale starts quite well with a very mysterious sounding motif that is then more extensively developed. It feels early on that some kind of tension is building instead the tension dies and only very gradually (at around 5 minutes) do we come to the movement's only real climax, and it doesn't project a very powerful musical statement or thematic revelation. It's one reason the last movement's structure isn't very convincing, certainly lacking the tension of the 1st movement. Lovely in parts, but underwhelming for a symphonic finale. Overall, there is a distinctive and consistent sound harmonically throughout, and the expression is honest and direct...but it doesn't take us any place we haven't been before. And there is a curious insistence on lower brass sonorities...which rather than being rich or ominous (certainly not with these gentle moods) it creates a dull muffled sound, when this string-heavy sound world could have used a dash of brightness.