This work is a one-movement concerto for the horn. The style is unmistakably that of 19th-century romanticism, and the tone often veers toward the operatic. The orchestra is definitely accompanimental, but it never merely slips into the background. It begins the allegro moderato opening section in a mildly dramatic mood, then moves on to a more hopeful, confident, and resolute second theme. When the horn comes in it takes us back to the opening mood in the first solo passage, then emerges as brash and confident in the second. The solo lines partake of a lyrical, singing character, and the woodwinds in the orchestra often step forward with coloristic commentary. The horn part incorporates quite a bit of virtuosic material, which is always at the service of musical expression—there is never any gaudy showiness for its own sake. The tender andante middle section follows without a break, and a return to the opening tempo brings in some dramatic urgency along with material from the first part. The horn and full orchesta take us out marching in splendor.

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