Structure A Pastoral Symphony

lento moderato – moderato maestoso – slow movement opens f-major natural-horn solo above f-minor chord, theme developed solo cello.



just in first movement, ideas flow gently 1 next, leading trumpet cadenza. here, instrument in effect natural trumpet (a trumpet without valves) in e♭, since player instructed not use valves. result, seventh harmonic played instead of ordinary minor seventh, , sounds out-of-tune nearest equivalent in 12-tone equal temperament.



the entire cadenza played on pedal note in strings. cadenza material later reappears on natural horn in f, gently accompanied returning theme played on cor anglais. movement ends quiet chord in violins high register.
moderato pesante – vaughan williams described movement, symphony s scherzo function, slow dance .



the trio, introduced brass section, has quicker, brighter quality retains of heaviness of earlier music.



after shortened return of main material there coda fugal writing. time fast music appears in symphony. theme main section of movement creeps fugue. movement ends in major chord.
lento – final movement returns contemplative manner of first 2 movements, , functions summing-up , coda rest of symphony. begins pentatonic passage wordless soprano voice (silent until point), sung on soft drumroll.



the orchestra begins elegiac rhapsody. high point of symphony comes when violins state opening soprano melody appassionato. @ end of symphony, soprano returns sing music silence.




^ howells, p. 128.
^ howells, p. 130.