Ernő Dohnányi completed his first symphony, unnumbered and entitled Symphony in F, in 1896, while a student of Hans von Koessler. It was never formally published, and although awarded the Hungarian King's Prize, it did not achieve significant critical acclaim. The work, like many of Dohnányi's early compositions, bears the imprint of Johannes Brahms, who had championed the young composer after hearing a performance of Dohnányi's Piano Quintet No. 1. The Symphony in F was given moderate attention after being recorded in 2011. It is approximately thirty minutes in length.