Musically, "Deploration" is a lament which features the horn as the leading, expressive voice of the ensemble. After an opening section, the piece builds to a clangorous bell-like climax that eventually subsides into a quiet, muted trumpet solo that quotes a folk lament from southern Italy. After a chorale-like section with horn descant, the work ends as the horn intones the syllables of Persichetti's name in long spaced notes.