At over fifty minutes, this is one of the longest Number Pieces. Cage gives it a dark texture by using mostly low pitches, with an ensemble of bass flute, bass clarinet, bass trombone, contrabass, and cello (plus two percussionists), being played very slowly, softly, and quietly.
Indeed, despite the seven-piece ensemble, the arrangement is sparse. There are rarely more than three instruments playing at any one time, and the music is interspersed with long stretches of silence. It seems to merge with the ambient noise.
Like most Number Pieces, this is notable for its constant dissonance, which in combination with the lower, quieter tones creates an atmosphere of anticipation and foreboding. One of the instruments - I'm not sure which - occasionally produces a sort of ethereal groaning sound that adds very much to this mood. I had the impression of thick, dark, slowly moving cloud, perhaps rumbling towards a storm. There's even the aural equivalent of flashes of lightning: at 34:30 we get a sudden bang on a drum, just in case the previous part had been lulling you to sleep; at about 38:30, there's a short, loud blast from the trombone.
I think it's a pity that Cage didn't compose for ensembles of lower-pitched instruments more often, as I love the low, deep sounds of instruments like trombones and contrabasses.
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