The Seventh Symphony also begins with a solo, this time on the violin. But the individual sections in the Symphony are terser, more compact. In general, this work, compared to the Concerto, seems like an attempt to say only what is absolutely necessary. Its three movements take no more than twenty minutes to perform. The first two movements have a texture akin to chamber music, with unaccompanied solo lines playing a leading role.
Monody dominates the music over long stretches of time.
The proportional relationships of balance come utterly off the hinges. The first two movements, Andante and Largo, take no more than a third of the total playing time. The third movement, Allegro, cannot be surpassed for contrast and opposition. A peculiar melodic thematic network constantly threatens to fall apart. Suddenly a harpsichord steps in, commenting on the musical events from afar, as it were.