When Berwald's first symphony, the "Symphony Sérieuse", was severely handled by

the critics his second, "Sinfonie capriciuse" had already been written. The composer never heard the

work performed, the full score disappeared and only a "short score" (ie not fully orchestrated) dated

18 June 1842 survived. The work was first performed in 1914 in a realization by Ernst Ellberg, and

thereafter not until the 1960s in a realization by Nils Castergren. Since then it has taken its rightful

place in the re-establishment of Berwald's music in today's symphonic repertoire. The symphony is

well-named, its orchestral textures being light and airy. The first movement is swift, sunny and mainly

in 3/4 time, rather like a fast waltz. The second is sweetly serious and melodic, with a Mozartean

delicacy. The third movement, a scherzo, starts with short, fragmentary woodwind figures and

continues on its good-humored way with quick interchanges between strings and woodwind, the

brass only occasionally underlining the spirited rhythms. Today it is almost inconceivable that so

original and enchanting a work could have been neglected for over 100

years.



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