That is probably a consequence of the changing art climate in the Soviet Union, although the failure of the demanding 10th Symphony, poorly-performed by the conductorless orchestra Persimfans at its premiere, may also have contributed to his adoption of a less-advanced style.
Too modern art began to be considered "formalistic", and artists were brought together under one aegis.
Another cause is possible, according to some Soviet musicologists – that Myaskovsky and others had to leave the poorly functioning Association for Contemporary Music.
The work was dedicated to Maximilian Steinberg, whose third symphony and a symphonic poem, Prinses Marlene, had earlier been converted by Myaskovsky into piano reduction.
The symphony was premiered on 16 January 1933 in Moscow, conducted by Konstantin Saradzhev.