The Girl Without Arms (score)

After a brief and portentous introduction, a serene passacaglia in d minor gradually descends into chaos and dissonance. This is followed by an extended section containing a virtuoso arpeggio treatment of the famous "L'homme armé" tune from the Late Middle Ages, Although a secular tune, "L'homme armé" was used by many Renaissance composers as the cantus firmus for settings of the Ordinary of the Mass. The passacaglia returns in D major, gradually reaching a point of exultation.