Schumann's Fourth Symphony is at once his greatest and his most problematic. It was first composed in 1841; just as in 1840 he had devoted his energies almost entirely to the writing of songs, in this annus mirabilis he plunged with wholehearted romantic enthusiasm into symphonic composition, producing also the ‘Spring’ Symphony, the Overture, Scherzo and Finale, and an early version of the first movement of his Piano Concerto, and the D minor symphony was performed in December. But it had a mixed reception, and after a half-hearted attempt in 1843 to have it published by Peters, he abandoned it. However, exactly ten years after its unfortunate premiere he decided to rework it, improving two transition passages (from the opening introduction to the first allegro, and from the Scherzo to the Finale), but at the same time greatly thickening the texture with over-generous doublings, apparently in an anxious desire to make each entry as safe as possible due to his own shortcomings as a conductor. The unfortunate result was that individuality of timbre was lost, but the music remains ardently passionate and melodically glorious, and the first performance in March 1853, conducted by Schumann himself, was a success. Agreement from Breitkopf & Härtel to publish it followed within a few weeks.

sources

XA  Autograph of original 1841 version, in the Archiv der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Vienna

XE  First edition of 1841 version, published by Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig in 1891

A  Autograph of 1851 version, in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin); viewable online at IMSLP. The bare notes of WW, Str in II and III were taken directly from XA, and are in the hand of a copyist (leader of the Düsseldorf orchestra)

P  First edition in parts of 1851 version, published by Breitkopf & Härtel in November 1853 (Pl. No. 8735)