In many of his recorder compositions, this composer adapts the styles of composers who never wrote for recorders such as Dimitri Kabalevsky, whose music inspired this trio in small-scale, four-movement symphonic form. The initial theme of the first movement re-appears in the fourth movement (Letter C), making the whole, to an extent, cyclical. At a duration of 17:45, it is suitable recital material.
The Prince Consort performs on the accompanying recording.
The unrelenting accompaniment makes the first movement somewhat of a test of endurance. However, the composer has marked parenthetically points where a note may be dropped if a breath is necessary. This piece is suited to fairly advanced players.
For contrast in timbre, the second movement may be played on tenor, bass, and great bass. (Parts in bass clef are furnished for the latter two instruments.) The lower instruments are especially well suited to the melancholy A section of this movement. The heavy wavy line in the soprano (tenor) at b. 50 indicates finger vibrato.
The brief transitional passages in the fourth movement (bb. 44-7 and bb. 155-8) may be played solo by the soprano or, although a challenge to precise tuning, as a grand unison.