Music was a constant presence in Chillida's life. Contrapunto (Counterpoint), Música de las esferas (Music of the Spheres), Música callada (Silent Music) or the series De música (Of Music) have titles which demonstrate his relationship with harmony, rhythm and sound. The sculptures in the De Música series are inspired by a text by Saint Augustine in which the philosopher considers music and its metric peculiarities as a means of communication with the divine.

Among the composers admired by Chillida were Vivaldi, to whom he paid two tributes, and Mozart, the subject of one of his infinite questions: “Why did Mozart compose the majority of his music in quick movements? Could he have sensed that he didn’t have time; that, unfortunately, there was no room in his work for too many adagios?” However, it was Bach who he most admired and who held a privileged place in his thought and in his creation.

This sculpture was originally intended for Bonn’s Cathedral Square. Due to project modifications, Chillida created another piece for Bonn, and De música III remained in the museum. Its shape is inspired by the floor plan of the cathedral. The semi-circles allude aesthetically to the shape of the apse.