Bertold Hummel composed the Concerto for Bassoon and String Orchestra first with the basset-horn as solo instrument before arranging it for bassoon at the suggestion of Eberhard Buschmann.
The piece is characterized by the use of French folk-song melodies which are integrated into their own thematic material. In the first movement, Prologue, the solo instrument stands out while declaiming in a recitative-like manner. The second movement, Concerto, follows the meaning of the word 'concertare' = 'compete' by combining the soloist and the string ensemble 'competitively' to form a unified whole. The short epilogue is a fading away, with strictly alternating solo instrument and strings.