 The main theme of the first movement is a motivic echo of ""Heil dir im Siegerkranz"", the unofficial national anthem of the German Empire.Although Brahms only set the first words of Revelations chapter 19 ("For true and righteous are his judgments") to music, the continuation of the biblical text ("For he has judged the great prostitute") — referring to Paris — are, however, insinuated in the music which is testified by a handwritten note on Brahms's copy of the score.The second movement, moderately animated, starts in G major and consists of three parts.