The title of the work came early in the composition process and is derived from the eponymous Roman chariot racing stadium Circus Maximus.
Reviewing the world premiere, Robert Faires of The Austin Chronicle noted a five-minute standing ovation and four curtain calls after the works completion.
He described the scene at the premiere, remarking, "[it] was more than a concert; it was an event, and the autograph seekers, the exceptionally loud buzz in the hall, the longest line at the Bass box office that I've seen in 20 years all testified that Austin had caught the sense of moment in the air."
In regards to the work itself, Faires wrote:This was a work that swelled to a deafening roar then faded to a whisper; that encompassed sinuous jazz, martial fanfares, circus music, hunting calls, and more, at times with one type of music interrupting another; that swung dramatically from apocalyptic chaos to pastoral serenity to urban turmoil to farce, each mood pushing or pulling against the next.
[2]Jeffrey Williams of the New York Concert Review observed a similar 10-minute standing ovation after a performance at Carnegie Hall, opining, "Circus Maximus is a musical depiction of this decadence, and a shockingly effective one at that.
"[4] The symphony has also been praised by Steve Smith of The New York Times, who wrote, "The piece [...] is a major statement: the product of an enfant terrible grown into an elder statesman, his prodigious, provocative faculties razor sharp.