The genesis of Symphonic Movement was a sound I kept hearing in my head of two flutes, widely separated in space, playing independently. This developed into a completely new seating arrangement for the orchestra, with the woodwinds in front of the strings, and the high sounds on the far left and right, gradually getting lower towards the middle.
The music is largely based on a quickly rising figure, with occasional woodwind solos reminiscent of bird calls. The first part of the piece has a somewhat every-man-for himself, chaotic quality, with occasional dramatic pile-ups. About halfway through, the lines start to become more continuous, more espressivo, but always with short commentaries in counterpoint. Near the end, the orchestra joins in a unison melody for the first time, building up to a large climax. After that, the music devolves a dialogue among the woodwinds, with short, playful motives. A long note in a solo oboe ends the movement in calm and peace.