The title of the quintet is taken from the title of a poem by the San Francisco poet Kim Addonizio. Performed without break, the quintet has five parts. In part one, the trio and cello sing a serenade based on seconds which gradually divides into four parts before freezing into a chord. The cello concludes alone. Part two introduces the flute to the trio for a subdued pavane based on sevenths. The cello begins part three, pizzicatto, playing the pavane; the trio impassively recalls the serenade while the flute skylarks, introducing new, fast material based on fourths.

Part four begins with the entire ensemble taking up the flute's vivace material from part three. Agreement is reached when everyone joins together in a new unison melody built of seconds, fourths and sevenths. After this climax, the cello muses (the quodlibet) on the piece's various ideas -- joined by swatches of the serenade -- before relinquishing center-stage to the flute. The last part begins with the flute joined by the trio once more in a pensive melodia. Trills based on seconds and fourths, which have been acquiring importance during the course of the piece, coalesce, forming a shimmering backdrop to the flute and cello's final exchange, a reprise (though much changed by what has happened) of the serenade with which the quintet began.

Commissioned by the Music of Our Time Ensemble, Bruce Wolosoff, Artistic Director, The Presence Absence Makes was premiered by Robert Stallman and members of the ensemble at Alice Tully Hall, New York City on 6 April 1988.