The wilderness is a dark, musical journey that captures the beauty and harshness of a cold, snow covered forest in the mountains. The main theme,stated by winds, captures the solitary feeling of the vastness of the landscape. This theme is interrupted by dissonant brass ostinatos. After the full orchestra reiterates the main theme, the work transitions to a lyrical, melancholy theme. This is the wilderness at night when it is dark and solitary. The piece continues with a fast, dramatic theme capturing a sense of danger that the inhabitants of the forest create. The piece concludes with the full ensemble recapitulating material from the main opening theme.
