Burlesque is a jolly piece, starting with two lines of solo cello music (arco), which switches to pizzicato as the piano picks up the theme. The work parodies contrasting styles, abruptly juxtaposing a jazz idiom with a lyrical, romantic line, all the time displaying a great sense of humour in this frequent exchange. Towards the end a teasing dialogue ensues between cello and piano as they toss the jazz theme back and forth. In 1999 Kapustin wrote three short compositions for cello and piano, Burlesque, Elegy (ED 22848) and Nearly Waltz (ED 22852).