The structure of the piece makes sense to me.  It is, as in many pieces
arranged in an arch:

Prologue--Epilogue
Pastoral--Sonnet (poems dealing with end of day)
Nocturne--Hymn (odes--poems dedicated to something--the bugle and Diana)
Elegy--Dirge (poems dealing with death)

Cleverly the corresponding movements also relate musically.  The ostinato
that begins the Dirge is an exact inversion of the last falling half-step
of the Elegy, and both are based upon rather strict musical ideas--one
entirely built on falling half steps, one an ostinato occuring against a
fugue.  The Nocturne and the Hymn both fit in a sort of Rondo or Strophic
form.  The Pastoral and the Sonnet have the least apparent (at least to
me) relationship--although it must be said that both are more rhapsodic
in manner, although borne out of a very small musical idea economically
used--these two also contain some of the most obvious word painting in the
piece.  The relationship between the Prologue and Epiloque is obvious:)

I for one do not find the hymn comic at all.  Joyous, yes...comic, not in
the least.  I think it's more a celebration/plea to Diana.  *shrug*

Re:  recordings.  I imprinted on Robert Tear/Alan Civil/Marriner on EMI,
still a favorite performance of mine.  I do like Ainsley/Pyatt on EMI too,
Neunecker's is a bit too stiff for me.  Curiously enough, I never really
warmed to any of the Pears'/Britten recordings I've heard, although I just
acquired the Dennis Brain recording and haven't had a chance to sit with it
long enough.  Another excellent performance that I would recommend (on the
merits of the entire disc) is Martyn Hill/Jeffrey Bryant/Ashkenazy with the
RPO--comes with excellent performances of Walton's Second Symphony and
Knussen's Third Symphony.

Cheers,

Marcus