The work is scored for a chamber orchestra comprising flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, two horns, trumpet, trombone, tuba, two percussionists, harp, piano, and a reduced string section of only five players (violin I & II, viola, cello, and double bass).
Reviewing the world premiere, Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times said that Lindberg "certainly knows how to conjure up wondrous sounds" and wrote:It began with a series of emphatic processional chords, almost like a funeral procession, though too assertive for that.
[2]David Fanning of Gramophone said, "Despite his antipathy to the designation, he has acknowledged that the three movements are conceived as a type of chamber symphony, and they certainly have the leanness, range of texture and character, concentration and sense of evolution that are worthy of that name."
He added, "Admittedly, following the train of thought isn't always straightforward, and once again I have concerns about a shortish concluding movement that feels almost perfunctory.
Unlike many of his scores, often written for Brobdingnagian forces, Souvenir is crafted on a smaller scale for just 18 musicians, yet the work pulses with intense rhythmic dynamism and varied colors and creates a huge sonic impact.