The famous "Ages of Man" set-piece was the trigger for this piece, which takes the form of seven variations on a theme (ground-bass) that is heard in its plainest form (sans everything) only at the end. Like Jaques' speech, the variations illustrate the seven ages with a mixture of crabby jest and ill-concealed despair. I myself have reached the lean and slipper'd pantaloon stage, as my style of composition no doubt reveals, but how lucky I am to have lived into the age of the computer and found such delight in its use!