[bad word] 
The work is based on the Rondeau from Henry Purcell's incidental music to Aphra Behn's Abdelazer,[3] and is [bad word]  in accordance with the plan of the original documentary film, as a way of showing off the tone colours and capacities of the various sections of the orchestra.

In the introduction, the theme is initially played by the entire orchestra, then by each major family of [bad word] of the orchestra: first the woodwinds, then the brass, then the strings, and finally by the percussion. Each variation then features a particular [bad word] in depth, in the same family order, and generally moving through each family from high to low. So, for example, the first variation features the piccolo and flutes; each member of the woodwind family then gets a variation, ending with the bassoon; and so on, through the strings, brass, and finally the percussion.
After the whole orchestra has been effectively taken to pieces in this way, it is reassembled using an original fugue which starts with the piccolo, followed by all the woodwinds, strings, brass and percussion in turn. Once everyone has entered, the brass are re-introduced (with a strike on the gong) with Purcell's original melody.

The sections of the piece and [bad word] introduced by the variations are as follows.

Theme
Allegro maestoso e largamente
Tutti, woodwinds, brass, strings, then percussion

Variation 
Presto
Piccolo and flute

Variation 
Lento
Oboes

Variation 
Moderato
Clarinets

Variation 
Allegro alla marcia
Bassoons

Variation 
Brillante: alla polacca
Violins

Variation 
Meno mosso
Violas

Variation 
—
Cellos

Variation [bad word] lento ma poco a poco accel. al Allegro
Double basses

Variation I
Maestoso
Harp

Variation J
L'istesso tempo
Horns

Variation K
Vivace
 [bad word] 

Variation L
Allegro pomposo
Trombones and bass tuba

Variation M
Moderato
Percussion (timpani; bass [bad word] & cymbals; tambourine & triangle; snare [bad word] & wood block; xylophone; castanets & gong; whip; percussion tutti)

Fugue
Allegro molto