Symphony No. 3 in E‑Flat Major

From Bar No. 1 this symphony plunges you into a world of vigour, geniality and handsome tunes that fulfil Schumann’s stated desire to write a "popular" piece. Easily grasped, the tunes are based on ideas that recur across the movements. And it’s unsurprising that the premiere, in Düsseldorf in 1851, was a success. Schumann had only recently moved to that city in pursuit of career openings; the welcome he initially received prompted a sudden explosion of orchestral works—not least this symphony, which was completed in a month and premiered two months later. Inspired by visits to Cologne, not far from Düsseldorf along the Rhine River, the symphony is loosely programmatic—though the nickname, Rhenish, wasn’t actually Schumann’s choice. Unusually, there are five movements rather than the standard four, and they’re notable for powerful use of the brass. After the running start of the first movement, with an arrestingly syncopated main theme and impressively massed horns, the second (originally called "Morning on the Rhine") is a gentle, folksy scherzo; the third a flowing interlude; the fourth (first called "Accompaniment to a solemn ceremony”) a piece of grand Romantic mysticism, apparently inspired by the installation of a cardinal in Cologne Cathedral and steeped in a sense of archaic ritual; while the fifth resolves into a joyous, open-hearted melody designed to send an audience home on a high.