Augure, Op. 61 (1953)

‘Augure’ is not about looking into the future. This piece does not attempt to conjure up omens; instead, it describes figures that may subsequently be interpreted in the listener’s mind. The richest of conjectures may be carried by the music, prophecies hinted at by an atmosphere of sound whose vast expanses at the beginning of this work envelop us with a completely unadorned theme. The introduction of material that is essentially rhythmical and aggressive does not preclude a sustained return to the original mood, but this time it is wrapped in an increasingly dense halo of sound, only to disappear at the end like plumes of smoke from a sacrifice.