BERNARD SHORE (Viola)
THE WIRELESS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
(Leader, S. KNEALE KELLEY ) Conducted by FRANK BRIDGE
The Symphony No. 4 in D Minor belongs to the happiest time of Schumann's career.
It has a special interest in its form.
Schumann intended it as the logical conclusion of the tendency to weld the series of subjects in a Symphony into one whole, and the four movements follow one another without a break. The themes of the introduction form the basis of the Romance, and the busy, impetuous figure heard so much in the first movement plays an equally important part in the last. His first idea was to call it a Symphonic Fantasia, and though it is a real Symphony, the name may help to a better understanding of its composer'sintention. The introduction, already referred to, is almost heavy-hearted in character ; the real first movement has the usual two main tunes, both happy and instinct with fresh good spirits. The Romance which follows as slow movement, is a beautiful violin solo, and the third movement is in the conventional Scherzo and Trio form. The last movement begins with an almost bashful suggestion of the bustling theme from the first movement, and only after a little hesitation does the movement proceed on its way.