Unusually for him Davies starts his Bassoon Concerto not with slow music but with speed and brilliance: the opening is a Presto initiated by the strings and only at the entry of the soloist does the tempo relax to thatof a real introduction. Out of this grow a big dancing Allegro. The slow movement begins and ends with a simple song around fantastical ornamentation from the soloist. The finale is again a recitative and dance with a slow coda.The whole work is an immense show of stamina poetry and athleticism for the bassoon set against an orchestra coloured by low wind (alto flute clarinet in A bass clarinet contrabassoon horns).
