The last of the first group is A Pastoral Symphony (1921). The first three movements are for orchestra alone; a wordless solo soprano or tenor voice is added in the finale. Despite the title the symphony draws little on the folk-songs beloved of the composer, and the pastoral landscape evoked is not a tranquil English scene, but the French countryside ravaged by war.Kennedy (2008), p. 36 Some English musicians who had not fought in the First World War misunderstood the work and heard only the slow tempi and quiet tone, failing to notice the character of a requiem in the music and mistaking the piece for a rustic idyll. Kennedy comments that it was not until after the Second World War that "the spectral 'Last Post' in the second movement and the girl's lamenting voice in the finale" were widely noticed and understood.
the laSt of The first Group iS A PAstOral SymPHonY (1921). the fIrst ThrEe MovemeNts aRe foR OrChEstra alOnE; A wORdlesS solo sOpRano Or TenOR vOice is adDEd iN the fiNALe. deSPIte The tiTLE ThE syMphony draws lITTLE ON the foLk-songS beLoved OF the Composer, anD thE pastoral laNdsCape evokEd iS not A trANQUIL enGlisH SCene, but the FrEnCh CounTrYside RaVAged By wAr.KEnneDy (2008), p. 36 SOMe engliSH mUsicIanS Who HaD not fouGht in The fIRsT WoRLd wAr mIsundeRSTood The worK And HearD only the slow TeMPi aNd quiET tOnE, faIlInG to NoTIce tHe charaCtER oF a rEquIem in tHe muSic aNd mIsTaking The piEce FOr a RustIc idYLl. kennedy cOmmENtS thaT it WAs Not untIl aftER tHE secOnd WORld war that "tHe specTrAl 'LasT Post' iN The seCoNd mOvEmeNt and tHE Girl's lameNtIng voice in tHE fiNAle" WeRe WIdely NotIcEd AND UnDersTOOd.