In this highly enjoyable work, in the Mediterranean or sea-style, Marais masterfully unfolds a small symphony of dances. The sections are played nearly without pause, and are contrasted internally as ABA forms. The titles are French translations of the then standard Italian subjective markings. "Un peu grave" (Somewhat solemnly) provides a noble and lyric major key introduction. "Lègérement" (Lightly) is an initially light-hearted sprightly dance with a lot of imitative counterpoint. In its mid-section the music in minor key becomes enthusiastically insistent and very punctuated, only to reconsider and return to its lighter footed-ness on the recapitulation of the major key theme. "Un peu gay" (Somewhat gaily) is a triple-meter dance with a slight hesitation built-in. The "Sarabande" is lyrical with a wonderful melody and surprising harmonic modulations. In the "Très vivement" (Very lively) section, a slowly ascending scale is surrounded by a whirlwind of figures moving four times its speed, until the violin begins to suddenly take on a fiery life of its own. There is a sudden, shocking major to minor (parallel key) modulation into the richly ornamented and harmonized "Gravement, doux" (Solemnly, sweetly) section. A "Gigue" in the major immediately follows. This is a happily skipping triple-meter dance with a brief B-section in the relative minor. The "Sonate" concludes with a slightly muted, tasteful version of the theme.

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