This work, only seven minutes long, creates the impression of an important piece of music despite its brevity. It is written for a single percussion player seated at, more or less, a jazz drum set, although the work is only marginally uses jazz idioms. It begins with an arresting repeated note theme, after which the soloist enters playing a virtuoso part involving a remarkable number of percussion instruments. Throughout the concerto, the percussion instruments and the rest of the orchestra operate as equal partners, copying each other's melodic outlines and rhythmic patterns, punctuating each other's thoughts with color. The first movement continues in the militant mood of the opening call to attention, with a more fragmentary, leaping subsidiary theme. The forcefulness of the opening ideas begin to fade away into the second half of the work, which is quiet, mysterious, reminiscent of a tropical rain forest. The melodies are slow and mysterious, featuring muted brass solos, but the drum patterns remain fast while remaining in quiet balance with the mood of the orchestra. Only a couple of quotations of the opening militant figure intrude on this dark, haunted mood, which soon fades away. A cornerstone of the percussion repertoire and intriguing listening.

© Joseph Stevenson, All Music Guide