The first movement, broad and highly symphonic, introduces the principal theme, derived from one of the composer's string quartets, as well as one of the work's essential harmonic principles: an oscillation between C minor and G minor. An introductory formula, which will return much later in the concerto's coda, then brings in the vibraphone soloist.

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The main theme is first entrusted to the woodwinds before culminating in the famous three-note motif—B, A, A-flat—the true generative cell of the entire work. At this point, the harmonic balance shifts between C major and F minor. Although slightly displaced, it clearly retains a close relationship with the opening harmonic idea.

The movement gradually unfolds into a vast crescendo leading to an extremely virtuosic solo cadenza, before the orchestra brings the first movement to a close, once again marked by the return of the three-note motif.

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At this point, the concerto enters a different world, that of jazz, while also paying an explicit tribute to John Adams and his Short Ride in a Fast Machine. The end of this movement even allows the soloist an opportunity for improvisation. This is particularly fitting for an instrument whose sound is deeply connected with the history of jazz and which enjoys a rich repertoire in that tradition.

This movement also features its own theme, presented in a rhythmically driven section strongly supported by the snare drum and entrusted to the euphoniums: C – G – C – D – E-flat – D – C.

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The finale is especially monumental. It opens with a chorale based on the elements of the three-note motif, then develops by recalling all the themes and musical ideas of the concerto. The soloist returns with the formula that introduced the work at the beginning, before a final orchestral outburst brings the journey to its conclusion.