The work employs two Irish folk tunes. The first that you will hear is "Bonny Light Horseman," a lyrical tune first heard in the piano and woodwinds at the beginning of the piece. The second tune is a light and playful melody called "Green Bushes." This theme is stated many times throughout the faster sections of the work. Both of these folk melodies are woven together throughout the piece and have an almost conversational quality in their interaction. These melodies are set in a more contemporary way, joining the old and the new into one.
