The form of the work is ABA with a short coda. The main motives, derived from a minor third, are introduced immediately in the first three measures and occur throughout in different musical settings. Both the harmonic and melodic musical speech is mostly derived from simultaneous sounding triads a tritone apart conveniently creating an octatonic scale. Percussion, especially the timbales, are featured on melodic segments as well as quasi-improvised solo passages. Halfway through the first section the music winds its way into a mambo-like groove, first featuring the saxophones, then adding layers and layers of the main motives in various instruments and permutations. A short restatement leads to a transition as the mood becomes more somber and melancholy.

The melody of the middle section is derived from the initial minor third motive as the triadic tritone harmonies are again used. A lamentful melody is played by a solo flute then by solo trumpet before a massive final statement of the previous melody.

Before the return of the A section an additive ostinato has wind players becoming percussionists by tapping pencils on music stands or on their instrument, clicking their tongues, as well as other percussive sounds. The section stops abruptly and proceeds to a return of the opening material. The ostinato and mambo sections that occur in the first section return with slight variations and conclude with an exciting coda that ends with one final burst of the main idea.