The Hesperides are the nymph daughters of the Greek goddess of night, Nyx. They represent the sunset and the evening, and tend a garden that grows apple trees that grow golden apples. Once eaten, these apples give you immortality. They are represented in this piece as echoes across the ensemble that lie under the main theme throughout the piece. After the first presentation of the main theme, a darker melody arises in the saxes, representing the goddess Nyx and the beginning of nighttime. The main theme repeats, and fades into a trio of piccolo, oboe, and horn, which serves as a transition from the calm of night into the liveliness of the morning. With the morning comes birdsong, heard in the upper woodwinds, and the sunrays shining across the expansive garden of Hesperides in the brass repetition of the main theme. This energy abruptly shifts to a sweet, lyrical woodwind choir, which represents the singing of the Hesperides for which they are known. The brass enters underneath the wind choir to add rich harmonies, before joining the beautiful song, which transitions to the conclusion of the piece. This conclusion is a modification of the main theme, which represents the sun setting again at the end of another day.