Tre bagattelle

Farkas began this composition for flute, clarinet, and bassoon in July 1992 at his son’s home in Pully (Switzerland) and completed the work in August of the same year in Budapest.

The three movements that make it up—Allegretto, Andante, Allegro—do not owe their brevity to the age of the composer (Farkas was nearing his 90th year), but rather stem from a desire for concision. Their structure is built around a single four-note motif - A, B, D, C - which Farkas develops throughout the work using various rhythms and tempos. This work offers an excellent opportunity for the analyst, but no one is able to explain why these “Bagatelle” sound to the ear like miniature masterpieces. — László Gombos