From start to finish this work is a lot more fun than its title would imply. In fact, a jolly good time is had by all! We start off in the spirit of winter amusement with a driving, syncopated rhythmic figure scored with sleighbells. This motto comes back many times throughout the work to underline the other happenings. The writing for all instruments is brilliant as the fugal lines are freely exchanged and developed. The overall feeling is on-rushing and unstoppable, with proclamatory orchestration that is anything but subtle. Low strings played pizzicato interrupt the proceedings for a strange second section with a slight resemblance to "God Save the Queen." After pizzicato strings speed things up again, material from both sections comes back in ever-varied and exciting orchestration.

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