The Phantasie Variations, Op. 12 were commissioned by Phyllis Alpert Lehrer for her Merkin Hall Debut Concert near Lincoln Center in 1980. The piece uses two 12-tone rows, opening with the first row in retrograde, as if regressing back into a subconscious dream state. The rows go through many transformations stylistically in a variety of expressive modes. At the end, the row reappears in its natural state, reverting back to conscious reality.