With the title of this work Lutoslawski alludes directly to the dance-inspired instrumental suites of the baroque era. In the music itself the baroque elements are subtle rather than pervasive, showing up in the motoric rhythmic drive at the beginning of the first movement, some of the rhythmic figures in the third, and some feeling of a gigue-like rhythm in one section of the finale. The overall feeling is predomiantly lyrical, although there are some excursions into virtuosic figuaration along the way. The orchestra accompanies, and sometimes dialogues with the violin, whose line often features dreamy glissandi and microtones.

The even-numbered movements feature short and pointed dialogues between the solo violin and a piano that speaks in a spare, single-line style. The second movement is given over to these instruments alone. The fourth movement begins the same way as the second, but chimes interrupt and lead us into the finale, whose quick outer sections frame a more meditative center.

© Aaron Rabushka, Rovi