Although titled Passacaille, this piece is not constructed as a strict series of ground-bass variations. Instead, Chaminade employs a freely evolving harmonic design centered on E major, enriched by chromatic voice leading, common-tone diminished seventh chords, secondary dominants, and Neo-Baroque sequential progressions. The work evokes the keyboard idiom of Couperin and Rameau through its passacaglia-derived recurring harmonic foundation, while simultaneously embracing the expressive chromaticism and pianistic brilliance of late French Romanticism.

A: m. 1–40 (E major), repeated m. 41–80
B: m. 81–135 (E minor)
A′: m. 136–176 (return to E major; no repeat)

Enoch plate 6967