Rustic Wedding Symphony, Op. 26 (usual translation for Ländliche Hochzeit) is a symphony in E flat major by Karl Goldmark, written in 1875, a year before his renowned Violin Concerto no. 1. The symphony was premiered in Vienna in 1876, conducted by Hans Richter. Brahms, who was a frequent walking companion of Goldmark's, and whose own Symphony no. 1 was not premiered until 1876, praised the work. The work does not conform to the standard structure of a symphony: it is in five movements rather than the usual four, and while Goldmark did not provide any specific program for the work, he did give each of the movements titles suggestive of aspects of a wedding in the countryside. The first movement is a Wedding March followed by a set of 13 variations (while variations are common in symphonies, it is most unusual that they appear in the first movement). The second movement is a Bridal Song. The third movement, Serenade, opens with a theme played by two oboes, later developed by the strings. It includes an imitation of bagpipes, played on oboe, clarinet, bassoon and cellos. The fourth movement, In the Garden, is slow and lyrical. The Rustic Wedding Symphony was a favourite of conductors such as Thomas Beecham and Leonard Bernstein.
