The introduction of only 4 bars presents right at the beginning almost programmatically the musical quintessence of Gregorian chant in romantic string instrumentation, modal (hypo-Dorian), harmonised by fifths and fourths. Afterwards, the main theme - performed by the oboe and taken up by the clarinet and bassoon in the canon - evokes associations with nature and pastoral folk music rather than chorale singing, although the same harmony links both areas of nature and religion. After the introduction is heard again, now reinforced with woodwind and brass, the solo violin takes over the main theme and continues it in rhapsodic variations until a fast, energetic Allegro molto moderato. Despite the now lively mood and the violin's double stops in thirds, this secondary theme seems to retain a certain kinship (falling intervals!) with the main theme. A rhythmic motif then appears in the basses, which is reinforced in the full orchestra and then also taken up by the violin and further developed rhapsodically together with the side theme, which now has a calming effect, until finally the main theme reappears first in the cor anglais and then in the solo violin, completely according to the formal scheme A-B-A. The violin accompanies the English horn's natural melody with floral arabesques and prepares itself for the solo cadenza by playing. The cadenza is virtuosic, uses thematic material from the movement and builds to an effective climax, then leads directly into the second movement with a sequence of trills without a pause.

The melody that begins this three-part movement comes from the chorale "Victime paschalis laudes", the Easter sequence from the Catholic liturgy. It is introduced in the most beautiful lyrical violin tone, first accompanied by the high strings, then by the lower ones. Dorian modality and free rhythm, as in chorale singing, predominate. After the solo violin, cellos, basses and bass clarinet repeat the basic motif of the melody. The violin solo expands this statement into lyrical singing in a rhapsodic passage with double stops. The whole orchestra then enters on a grand scale, led by the chorale passages of the horns and trombones. After a brief ebbing of the sound, the oboe and solo violin begin the middle section of the movement, bringing in a new theme that is, however, reminiscent of the main theme. The oboe plays the melody, the solo violin seconds with rhythmic figurations and lyrical passages. Soon, however, the main motif of "Victime paschalis laudis" reasserts itself and is passed from instrument to instrument in the orchestra. The figurations of the solo violin remain decorative and improvisatory and float away into light heights, accompanied below in the basses by a rhythmic motif that is taken over by the timpani, forcing the violin back into lower registers. The return of the "Victime paschalis laudis" then sounds almost mystically elevated ("dolcissime") above fine celesta sounds. The cellos, and later the horn, take over the theme. Free lyricism in the solo violin, harp sounds and celesta colour the mood. In the bright and luminous final section, the solo violin plays fragments of the theme, figurations and double-stop passages. A horn recalls the basic motif. On a softly undulating orchestral background, with clarinet sounds and a sustained pedal tone in D as well as the finest high violin figures, this mystical movement comes to an end.