The piece begins with the sound of swirling, humid air beneath a bold and commanding fanfare. The music steadily intensifies as dark gray clouds gather and the storm looms overhead. Just when it seems the tempest might pass, the tempo quickens and short interjections mimic the first falling raindrops. Rhythmic motives swirl throughout the ensemble in a way that is both thrilling and slightly disorienting—interrupted by flashes of the opening theme and bursts of lightning. The work concludes with all these elements woven together in a triumphant celebration of one of nature’s most electrifying phenomena.