A more lyrical second subject follows, before the main motives return to recapitulate in the shortest opening movement of all Bax's symphonies.
The violins introduce the main melody near the beginning and it is eventually taken up by the other sections of the orchestra, with an almost jazzy trumpet solo in the middle.
Then the other woodwinds play the second main melodic idea for the movement, which forms a basis for the scherzo, trio and the climax towards the end of the symphony.
The main melodic ideas are characteristically stated in full force of the orchestra just before the tranquil epilogue which closes the symphony.
In the middle of the movement (fig.25 through 27), the music incorporates a detailed reference to an idea from Jean Sibelius's tone poem Tapiola.