Violinist Janet Packer performs McKinley's Violin Concerto with the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra

For its first few minutes, the Violin Concerto presents us with a highly rhythmic theme reminiscent of a nineteenth century European dance in an unusual 12/8 time. Subtitled “Winter,” this movement features spikes of percussion as intricate as icicles. While not a programmatic piece in the same way as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 (“Pastoral”), the clashing symbols and the highly regular tempo may remind listeners of someone trudging with determination through a storm.

More than any other device, McKinley’s seamless transitions between movements evoke the gradual changing of the seasons. The chords that open Symphony of Winds set the stage for this provocative piece. Although startling and jarring, they quickly recede to a dolce lyricism. But this mood change is tantalizingly brief. The placid theme is unstable, thriving only for a few bars before giving way to polytonal exchanges between the xylophone, marimba, and the winds.