Berwald spent the early part of the year 1842 in Vienna, where his music was very well-received and where he wrote his first two symphonies, those with the nicknames "Sérieuse" and "Capricieuse". Later that year he returned to his native Sweden hoping to continue his string of successes. But his music didn't make much of an impression there. Nevertheless he continued his composing, completing his other two symphonies—the so-called "Singulière" and "Naïve"—in the year 1845. He went to Paris in 1846, hoping to interest composer-conductor Daniel-François Auber in premiering the Sinfonie Naïve. Nothing came of that, though, and the symphony, now sans title (by Berwald's choice) and simply known as the Symphony No. 4, waited until April 9, 1878, for its first performance. That premiere was conducted by Ludvig Norman, who did more than anyone else to keep Berwald's music before the public in the decades after the composer's death.

Whether called Sinfonie Naïve or Symphony No. 4, the work radiates a feeling of contentment and lightheartedness. The first movement, somewhat misleadingly marked Allegro risoluto, begins in a rather relaxed mood. A playful staccato figure leads into the peaceful second idea, which becomes the basis of the following development. This movement, and the work as a whole, displays Berwald's distinctive, pungent harmonic sense and melodic freshness. The noble, pastoral second-movement Adagio leads without pause into an energetic scherzo, whose elfin quality calls the music of Felix Mendelssohn to mind. Rhythmic playfulness marks the Finale, an Allegro vivace that concludes with a sudden acceleration and exciting coda.

© Chris Morrison, Rovi