Virtuosity and lightness determine the musical activity over long stretches of Traces. This etude-like composition was created in memory of a wonderful concert experience in the early 1970s with the English saxophonist John Surman, who mastered this combination with breathtaking virtuosity. Lyrical and rhythmic sections contrast the almost endlessly flowing scales, while the respective musical gestures, motifs and melodic passages are more akin to improvisation. The different characters, presented in separately sequenced sections over almost the entire length of the piece, are brought together in a collage-like manner in the final section.