Variations concertantes sur le nom de Paul Verlaine pour basson et orchestre: "Calmes dans le demi-jour"

(Concert Variations on the Name of Paul Verlaine for Bassoon and Orchestra: "Calm in the Half-Light")

"Calmes dans le demi-jour / Que les branches hautes font, / Pénétrons bien notre amour / De ce silence profond." ("Calm in the half-light / Bestowed by the high branches, / Let us fill our love / With this profound silence."

My variation features a solo violin and solo viola that weave a flowing dialog around the bassoon. These three are backed up by a soft, luminous accompaniment by the string orchestra. Structurally, the music is comprised of three eight-measure phrases, the first presenting the Verlaine motto in its original form. The second phrase presents the theme in an inverted form, and the third restates it in its original form, but at a different pitch.