Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61

Schumann's Second Symphony (1845–46) was composed during a period of severe mental illness — the composer described hearing a persistent note in his head throughout — yet emerged as a triumph of will and intellect. The symphony opens with a solemn brass fanfare that permeates the entire work as a motto theme; the Scherzo is a whirlwind of perpetual motion; and the Adagio espressivo is a profoundly personal slow movement that Schumann considered his favourite of all his movements. The finale quotes Bach's Musette in D and resolves the work's struggles in affirming C major. Brahms deeply admired this symphony.