Kurt Atterberg's Symphony was eventually reviewed with a fair amount of derision by international critics as a particularly weak and derivative specimen of contemporary music. It is clear that Atterberg's symphony was in direct competition with two other scores, namely Franz Schmidt's Third Symphony and Czesław Marek's Sinfonia, because both of these pieces - though they received no prize, no money and no recording - merited an 'honourable mention' in the final judgment.
Kurt Atterberg's Symphony faced harsh criticism from international critics, who deemed it a weak and derivative work of contemporary music.  The symphony was competing with Franz Schmidt's Third Symphony and Czesław Marek's Sinfonia, which were both recognized as worthy pieces despite not receiving any awards or recognition.