A passacaglia is a set of variations written upon a theme (called the "ground") which is constantly repeated. The theme in this case is a slowly walking theme of rising and falling contours, which is rather monotonous in itself. The variations on it take the form of short, overlapping motives, including one with a clearly folk-inspired "Hungarian snap" (an accented first short note on the beat followed by a longer note, it is common also in Scots folk music). These motives pile up on each other resulting in wild harmonic clashes. At times it seems as though the harpsichord's resonant, clangorous characteristic is being used to create piles of natural overtones of the sounding strings while notes which are alien to the hanging cloud of notes are sounded, creating a sour effect.

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