This little-known piece by Astor Piazzolla brings to mind the onset of winter, a time when the mildness of autumn gives way to rougher, more extreme conditions, when we rejoice at a generous snowfall observed from our living room, the atmosphere warmed by a nice blaze in the fireplace, and also the time for family reunions and moments shared with friends. Piazzolla's original composition does not rely on virtuosity or demonstration, but rather on simplicity and contrasting affirmation of the theme. In the same spirit, I've chosen a reduced orchestration, while the arrangement exploits the percussive register of the instruments, like laughter or bursts of voice resonating on the skating rinks that appear naturally in the frost along a whitened field. more