A decade before he actually finished any other full scale orchestral work, Schumann delved into the symphonic form and completed the first two movements of a G minor symphony which was at once a tribute to Beethoven and a signpost of his own still emerging genius. Like all but a very few of his contemporaries, Schumann was completely intimidated by Beethoven, especially in his early years.

The first movement Moderato allegro is dark and stomping and echoes Beethoven in structure and attitude. It is surprisingly skillful, especially given Schumann's unjustly low esteem as symphonist and orchestrator, and the listener familiar with his other symphonic works will hear the influence of Beethoven passed through the young Schumann's budding talent. It also hints at another of Schumann's powerful contemporaries, Hector Berlioz, although it is absent that man's perilous modulations and treacherous rhythms. The ending of the movement, however, is pure Berlioz.

The second movement, which endures the bombastic appellation Andantino quasi allegretto - Intermezzo quasi scherzo: Allegro assai - Andantino, contains passages matching all these descriptions and emerges as a sort of goulash of styles, nonetheless pleasing and skillfully done. Though only about eight minutes long, the movement sprawls and crashes to an abrupt conclusion, leaving clear the composer's obvious intent to finish third a fourth movements for this symphony.

Amateurish and heavy-handed, the nascent work displays Schumann as budding symphonic composer and one already far more competent at emotional projection and symphonic orchestration than commonly supposed. The piece is an excellent view of a brilliant composer's earliest efforts.

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