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Although Szymanowski later dubbed his First Symphony a ''contrapuntal-harmonic-orchestral monster'' and disavowed the influence of Wagner, Reger and Richard Strauss (also evident in the opulent Concert Overture), it is an astonishingly powerful work by a composer only in his mid-20s and still enthralls a century after its première. He described his Fourth Symphony as ''nearly a concerto'' owing to the piano's prominent role, its highly-charged Neo-baroque character inviting comparison with Stravinsky. 
Like the recording of the Second and Third Symphonies by the Warsaw Philharmonic and Antoni Wit; these versions are very hard to beat. Both the First Symphony and Concert Overture whilst sharing much in common with Richard Strauss' musical language they surprise with their energy and coherence. The First Symphony is rarely heard and is clearly grossly neglected. The Study in B Flat Minor is very much easy listening compared to the intensity of the other works here so provides some relief.
The Symphony no 4 is almost a piano concerto though Szymanowski composed the piano part for himself and he was no virtuoso. By this late stage in his musical development he had taken on a more nationalistic, folk influenced style combined with a great formal classicism. For all that his orchestration is still very dense and colourful but this music sounds closer to Martinu with Bartok, Prokofiev in the background. After the heady eroticism of the Third this symphony is rather more earth bound but is still clearly the work of the same man. If anything this Symphony is a little neglected too and possibly the best of the Four.