The score is dedicated to Alfredo Casella, Enescu's former classmate at the Paris Conservatoire and lifelong friend.

[4] The symphony is scored for 3 flutes (third doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, cor anglais, E♭ clarinet, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 cornets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (triangle, tambourine, cymbals, bass drum), 2 harps, 20 first violins, 18 or 20 second violins, 14 violas, 12 cellos, and 12 contrabasses.

[6] The slow movement can be regarded as an extended Lied form: A–B–C–B–C–A, preceded by an introduction and concluded with a coda.

However, the second half (the B–C–A portion) does not simply repeat the material from the first part, but develops it, and is not followed with a full recapitulation but closes rather suddenly with only the A material, and then the coda,[7] The exposition of the finale, also in sonata-allegro form, is similar to that of the first movement, with the main difference being that the place of a first theme is taken by a group of clearly defined thematic elements (the first, in the unison strings, forms a quasi-permanent background, followed by a second figure in the brass, a third in the trombone, and so on).

The second theme is anticipated in triplets, only gradually achieving a stable profile after several attempts.