The Gaelic Symphony, premiered in Boston on Oct. 30, 1896 with the Boston Symphony, was the first large orchestral work composed by a woman to be performed by an America orchestra. While Beach wrote a number of other orchestral works, this is her only symphony. The piece has been compared to Antonin Dvorák's "New World" Symphony in its use of original folk tunes. Rather than drawing on any indigenous American influences, as Dvorák heartily encouraged, Beach based her four-movement symphony on Irish melodies. She also borrowed from her own song Dark is the Night for the first and fourth movements. This symphony is deeply immersed in the sound world of Brahms and Schumann: emotional, autumnal, and passionate with attention to formal structure and thematic development. However, Beach seems more concerned with orchestration, exploring a richer palette in terms of instrumental color than her esteemed predecessors. Her style is also reminiscent of some of the British composers of this period, such as Hubert Parry and Charles Stanford. The Allegro con fuoco adheres to the typical first movement sonata-allegro form. The second movement begins with a beguiling siciliana followed by an almost Mendelssohnian trio section, providing perfect contrast, with imaginative writing for oboe and English horn. For the lovely third movement, Beach utilizes two Irish folk songs and prominently features solo violin. The final movement, Allegro di molto, displays an intensity and power similar to Dvorák, while the more subtle moments bring Brahms back to mind. The Gaelic Symphony and the Mass in E flat endure as two of Amy Beach's most significant works.

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