Excitement, drama and humour often associated with the music of Patterson is much in evidence in this virtuoso showpiece for solo violin. Inspired by Polish folk music it consists of an original theme and seven variations. The theme itself is borrowed from Patterson's own Sinfonia for Strings written for the Polish Chamber Orchestra in 1981
Popular in style the work opens and ends with an exuberant flourish, gypsy like in its raw use of open strings and exciting dance cross rhythms. A series of short variations follow exploiting many techniques including the exotic pyrotechnics associated with Paganini's violin writing. There are calmer moments too in the central variations where the high and low registers are explored using complex double stopping and harmonics . The variations are group in such a way that the overall shape resembles a mini symphony: Fast, slow, scherzo, fast.