Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Opus 90

my initial response

Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90
cd recording of Sir Charles Mackerras conducting the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
The entire symphony is emotional and full of interesting contrasts and beautiful melodies, but as before, the second movement, andante, is the part that I noticed. As I felt it, it is the epilogue of a tale involving a hero having accomplished a great and magnanimous deed. It seems our hero is humble as he tells his tale through a clarinet and bassoon duet. He gives some details, but nothing outrageous or proud. The audience is grateful for his modesty. Then the flutes start to chide him for a minor discrepancy in his tale. The brass instruments resonate that he should feel bad and should reconcile his lack of consistency. The hero quickly realizes his error and repents. The rest of the orchestra continues to lecture him, but they appreciate the dispatch of his response. But all is not well. The hero, having been lifted by overcoming his fault, sees life in a more serious light, and he is pained to a crisis by the harsh realities he now observes. Yet the added understanding makes him more powerful and more mature. Our hero nobly accepts his new responsibilities, notwithstanding their weight, for he knows that along with the performance of duty comes immense satisfaction. How noble, how selfless! As the last six measures of the movement embrace the gentle and peaceful ritardando, our hero’s newly increased virtues are extolled through brilliant ascending lines of eighth notes passed between instruments: He has become more honest in telling stories, so tell the clarinets; more wise in accepting reprimands from elders, according to the oboes; and more enabled to perform future deeds of valor and charity, sung by the flutes. Brahms may not have imagined it so, but so I felt it.

Classical music definitely is inspiring. The Romantic symphony as a genre is full of emotion and feeling, even passion. But it's all in the listening. Try listening with a score in hand. I dare you.