One of these later derived ideas, a chord made from the notes of the first theme, is sustained for a long time through a crescendo and diminuendo.
This chord, which occurs throughout the Concerto, was borrowed from my latest orchestral work, Silver Ladders, and was in turn taken from a long-held note in the solo clarinet movement of Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time.
[1]The work is scored for solo clarinet and an orchestra comprising two flutes (doubling piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, trombone, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, two percussionists, harp, piano (doubling celesta), and strings.
The music critic John Henken lauded the concerto for its "remarkable" combination of "orchestral color and solo verve.
It stands as a single movement that divides into traditional fast-slow-fast sections, dark, busy and threatening music broken by atmospheric musings which become increasingly foreboding.