"The novelty was a great, unqualified success" wrote the critic Hanslick, after the first performance of Brahms' second symphony, given by the Vienna Philharmonic under Hans Richter on 30th December 1877. It followed only a year after his first symphony, and was naturally compared to that work. Brahms had led his friends well up the garden path, claiming to his publisher that the symphony "is so melancholy that you will not be able to bear it. I have never written anything so sad, and the score must come out in mourning." (Nov.22nd, 1877) He persisted in the joke right up to (and after!) the first performance, which made the contrast with the seriousness of the first symphony all the greater.

A dark four-note figure in the bass introduces the first theme of the Allegro non troppo on horns and wood-wind. A second theme on full orchestra is more lively, while the lovely third theme is sung expressively by violas and cellos. These three tunes form the basis of the development of the movement, which is largely rich and lyrical. The orchestra is well-blended (quite a contrast with the harsher colours of the Shostakovich earlier!) with the trombones and timpani kept in reserve until the bigger climaxes. The coda to the movement is surprisingly not triumphant, but gentle and tranquil.

The slow movement Adagio non troppo opens with another fine tune for violas and cellos (who have a grateful part to play in the whole symphony). After a climax, a calm woodwind passage winds its way over plucked strings, before the strings introduce a more urgent tone. The mood lightens, however, and the main themes are expounded once more. This is capped by a confident passage for brass before the movement reaches its conclusion.

The Allegretto is the most pastoral movement. The oboe gives out the melody in triple time, accompanied by wind and pizzicato celli. Strings hustle along in 2/4 for a while, but the wind glide back to the original tempo. Another faster section interrupts for a period, before the movement ends with the serenity with which it began.

The finale begins quickly but quietly, with great suppressed energy. Very soon the full orchestra bursts in with a jubilant continuation, which continues until a quiet section prepares for the second main theme on violins and violas. After urgent development, a point of calm and repose is reached ... out of which the first theme emerges quietly, as at the opening. The second theme takes over for a while, and begins to drive the movement to the brilliant coda. Hanslick said of this work that "Mozartian blood flows in its veins"; personally I find that this finale looks forward to the cock-a-hoop ending of Mahler's fifth symphony. There is certainly no doubt that this is one of the greatest affirmative endings in all music!