It was premiered by Rome's Philharmonic Augusteo Orchestra under the baton of Bernardino Molinari on 13 December 1936.
[3] Rodziński was a strong promoter of Barber's work, and he also conducted the Vienna Philharmonic's performance of the symphony at the opening concert of the 1937 Salzburg Festival.
It is based on three themes of the initial Allegro non troppo, which retain throughout the work their fundamental character.
The second theme (oboe over muted strings) then appears in augmentation, in an extended Andante tranquillo.
The revised version was first performed 18 February 1944 by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Bruno Walter.