This work, regarded as a homage to Brahms, has a key position within Ligeti's oeuvre. It is especially notable for the pithy way in which the memorable thematic material is shaped into precisely defined formal structures.

The Trio starts with a quote from Beethoven's Sonata "Les Adieux", though Ligeti, typically, puts his own slant onto the famous horn fifths. This edition in normal music setting complements the facsimile edition of the work.