Without warning, the first section Allegro bursts on to the scene at fff – thundering timpani, biting rhythms from the trumpets and piccolos and rushing semiquavers in the strings in the background as the trombones announce a theme, characterised by an upward movement and, at its height, a downward slur of a semitone followed by repeated notes a major third lower.
This leads to a dramatic appearance of another thematic element, beginning with a twice repeated downward hammering of a minor third which shares a close similarity with the first theme.
The development section follows, and the music becomes increasingly tense, building up to a devastating climax which consists of a dramatic restatement of the second thematic element in the first subject.
By this series of canonic entries, The Chord has gradually been dismantled, and the atmosphere is not unlike that of birds, breaking the silence of night at the glimmers of dawn.
The Canone is interrupted by the opening of the short, central Scherzino, in which four elements dominate: a side drum rhythm, an acciaccatura flick, an upward moving two voice which drops downwards at its peak, and a sliding-down thematic fragment in the bass.
Suddenly some of the brass and remaining woodwind enter with The Chord a minor third higher, and now no fewer than ten of the twelve semitones of the chromatic scale are being sounded at once.
The last and longest section is arguably the most violent music Simpson ever wrote, its nearly constantly loud dynamic being complemented by its volcanic and obstreperous character.