Composed in London, Spohr's Second Symphony was received with real enthusiasm at its premiere, the audience responding to the work's tasteful Haydn-esque flourishes, wide emotional palette and delightful writing for wind instruments. Written in 1850, a year after the re-imposition of authoritarian rule in Germany, Symphony No. 9 "The Seasons" is no mere programmatic work but a symbolic journey from the winter darkness of political oppression through the "Garden of Eden" imagery of Spring and the vibrant colors of Summer, ending with Autumn whose positive finale is a celebration of the composer's belief in the political rebirth of Germany.