[3] After a silent pause, the allegro risoluto section, much of it triple forte, is vigorous and brisk, and the ensuing second subject, dominated by the wind and brass, is no less so (evoking "Hampstead Heath on an August Bank Holiday") [4] After a contrasting gentle interlude scored for string sextet and harp, the vigorous themes return and bring the movement to a lively close, with full orchestra playing fortissimo.
[1] The finale opens on a grave march theme, punctuated with a lighter allegro section, with full orchestra initially forte and appassionato.
Following this, the Westminster Chimes strike again, this time the harp plays the first three-quarters of the hour chimes,[1] and there is a quiet Epilogue, inspired by the last chapter of H. G. Wells's novel Tono-Bungay:[4][5][6] The last great movement in the London Symphony in which the true scheme of the old order is altogether dwarfed and swallowed up ... Light after light goes down.
It is dedicated to Vaughan Williams's friend and fellow composer George Butterworth (1885–1916) who was subsequently killed by a sniper on the Somme during World War I.
[8] Vaughan Williams recorded that:[9] We were talking together one day when he said in his gruff, abrupt manner: "You know, you ought to write a symphony."
This second revision became the first published version, and was recorded for the gramophone in 1925 by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Dan Godfrey.
[11] It had already received its American premiere on 20 December 1920 when the New York Symphony Orchestra played it under the baton of Albert Coates.
By 1933, Vaughan Williams's concept of symphonic architecture was becoming more aligned with a Sibelian logic and severity.Andrew Clements has separately remarked:[12] Some of the excisions seem to have been sensible - the finale is dangerously episodic in the first version...Much of what was removed is music of vivid poetic description.
In November 2003, Richard Hickox conducted the original 1914 score with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican, in the first live performance of this version since 1918.
[19] The Proms presented an additional live performance of the 1914 version on 19 July 2005, with Hickox conducting the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.