The piece is a dialogue between series of untempered overtones and the tuned temperament of the instrument. The soundtracks are divided into two functions. One soundtrack has structured sound-fields of the first 16 overtones of some basic frequencies from the diatonic tonal system -this forms the accompaniment to the bass clarinet. On the 1st and 2nd soundtracks there are also sine pulses from the first 12 overtones, used both to accompany the bass clarinet and to supply timbre by means of a modulation system. The bass clarinet should have a built-in microphone and use a soft reed for the correct timbre.

Dialogue was commissioned by the Dutch Culture Ministry for the bass clarinettist Harry Sparnaay.

(from the score Dialogue I, Donemus 1977)