 The second symphony, as in the first, still belongs to the tradition of Brahms and Dvořák, but more compact and concentrated with a simple but powerful finishing by an A major march.Nielsen himself conducted the first performance of The Four Temperaments in a concert at the "Dansk Koncertforening" on 1 December 1902, just three days after he had conducted the premiere of Saul and David at the Royal Theatre.The symphony was well received by the audience, and the press was generally positive.