Symphony No. 6 in F major (Op. 68), known as the Pastoral Symphony, was completed in 1808. The symphony begins with a placid and cheerful movement depicting the composer's feelings as he arrives in the country. The First Movement - Allegro ma non troppo - has as programmatic indication "Gefuhle bei der Ankunnft auf dem Lande" - "Awaking the emotions full of life upon arriving in the village ". The work is in sonata form, and makes use of seven distinct motifs, each of which is extensively developed and transformed. This part has genuine popular sonority through the choice of instruments and the use of typically rural instrumental music. The musical themes are short, allowing shifts from one psychological state to another through their repetition. The first motif brings a climate which through segmentation ultimately creates the aural sensation of a natural setting of peace in which the listener is shrouded in pleasure.
