Hans Richter facilitated the progress of music by English composers in England by programming their works in concerts of the Philharmonic Society. His support allowed Parry the ability to have his first three symphonies heard in a public venue. Not long after the premiere of Symphony No. 3, Richter himself conducted the premiere of Symphony No. 4 on July 1, 1889. The symphony was "written for and dedicated to my friend Hans Richter." After the premiere, Parry, who was always his own harshest critic, was dissatisfied with the work as a whole. This personal disdain for Symphony No. 4 made Parry refrain from writing another symphony even though Richter repeatedly requested one. A revision in 1910 for a Philharmonic Society performance attended by Queen Alexandra and the addition of a new scherzo seemed to satisfy Parry's high personal standard.

In a letter to Napier Miles in March 1910 Parry commented, "I'm glad you thought well of the Symphony. I suppose it is a bit stern as you say. On the whole I'm glad you thought so. Just at this time of day it seems to me inevitable, though it militates against its acceptance. It seems to me it said what I wanted to saybut it's not likely to be taken in at first hearing and, as generally happens in such a case, it may be a good while before it gets another." This statement proved prophetic, since the only known performance of Symphony No. 4 after the 1910 concert is a recording of the work made in 1990 by the London Philharmonic conducted by Matthias Bamert on the Chandos label. This work is Parry's final multi-movement work of absolute music for orchestra actually named "Symphony," as his fifth large orchestral work was more programmatic in nature and was published with the title Symphonic Fantasia in 1912.

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