Many of Vaclav Nelhybel's works for concert band, including this one, are considered standards of the concert band repertoire. During his writing career, he often explored new approaches to composing and scoring. Symphonic Movement is musically constructed in the form of an arch, with C as the tonal center for most of the piece. It is often said that this work, while comparatively brief, is one of the most musically intense compositions for this medium.