The third movement begins in A♭ minor and is cast in a compound ternary form, A–B–A′. As a slow movement, it contrasts with the scherzo-like second movement, even though both share a broadly similar three-part layout.
A
The A section itself is a three-part design a–b–a′.
The first eight bars form A–a. Throughout A, a continuous chain of chords in dotted rhythm functions as the principal motive and surface concept. The movement starts with an upbeat (incomplete bar). In the first two bars of the motive, we hear (1) the same chord struck repeatedly in dotted rhythm, and (2) in bar 2 a left-hand bass that ascends in dotted rhythm. A half cadence arrives in bar 4. From the end of bar 6 the harmony shifts—unusually—to C♭ minor, and in bar 8 a perfect authentic cadence closes A–a.
Via the enharmonic relation between C♭ and B, the music moves to B minor. (The scale content is the same; only the spelling changes.) A–b proceeds in near-parallel to A–a. What had been a monodic bass now expands to octaves. From the end of bar 14 a modulation leads to D major, the relative major of B minor; at bar 16 a PAC closes the span in the same cadential shape as before.
A four-bar transition follows, built from the same rhythm and figuration, flowing naturally. Functionally, this link carries the key that had drifted to D major back smoothly to the home key A♭ minor. Over A♭ minor, the vii⁷/V – V resolution repeats, directing the motion toward i.
A–a′ unfolds analogously to A–a. From the second subphrase (bar 26), a change appears: the left-hand arpeggio that ascends in dotted rhythm is strengthened. Over three bars this is developed, rising to V; with a fortissimo dynamic the music makes a PAC and closes the A section.
B
The B section totals eight bars and is brief. Its two four-bar phrases are each repeated by repeat signs. Each four-bar unit comprises two sharply contrasted two-bar ideas:
• first two bars—both hands in the low register with a tremolo-like figure plus staccato in 3rds;
• next two bars—a light, leaping staccato phrase.
Beginning in A♭ major (the tonic’s parallel major), the first unit half-cadences at bar 4; the second closes with a PAC at bar 8.
A′
The music proceeds to A′, which reproduces A literally: it starts in A♭ minor and again moves to C♭ minor, just as before.
Subsequently it again passes through B minor on the way back. Up to the cadence at bar 68, everything is identical to A. After the PAC, the movement turns to the Coda.
Coda
After the cadence, the left hand drives the coda by repeating the dotted-rhythm figure. The texture shows four-part motion and a more intricate structure: above a left-hand A♭ pedal reiterated in dotted rhythm, other motive-fragments from the movement are layered. With C♮ introduced, the close hints at A♭ major in color, though the surrounding scale remains minor—this can be heard as an extended Picardy third. At bar 75 the piece subsides to pianissimo and ends quietly.
The third movement begins in A♭ minor and is cast in a compound ternary form, A–B–A′. As a slow movement, it contrasts with the scherzo-like second movement, even though both share a broadly similar three-part layout.
A
The A section itself is a three-part design a–b–a′.
The first eight bars form A–a. Throughout A, a continuous chain of chords in dotted rhythm functions as the principal motive and surface concept. The movement starts with an upbeat (incomplete bar). In the first two bars of the motive, we hear (1) the same chord struck repeatedly in dotted rhythm, and (2) in bar 2 a left-hand bass that ascends in dotted rhythm. A half cadence arrives in bar 4. From the end of bar 6 the harmony shifts—unusually—to C♭ minor, and in bar 8 a perfect authentic cadence closes A–a.
Via the enharmonic relation between C♭ and B, the music moves to B minor. (The scale content is the same; only the spelling changes.) A–b proceeds in near-parallel to A–a. What had been a monodic bass now expands to octaves. From the end of bar 14 a modulation leads to D major, the relative major of B minor; at bar 16 a PAC closes the span in the same cadential shape as before.
A four-bar transition follows, built from the same rhythm and figuration, flowing naturally. Functionally, this link carries the key that had drifted to D major back smoothly to the home key A♭ minor. Over A♭ minor, the vii⁷/V – V resolution repeats, directing the motion toward i.
A–a′ unfolds analogously to A–a. From the second subphrase (bar 26), a change appears: the left-hand arpeggio that ascends in dotted rhythm is strengthened. Over three bars this is developed, rising to V; with a fortissimo dynamic the music makes a PAC and closes the A section.
B
The B section totals eight bars and is brief. Its two four-bar phrases are each repeated by repeat signs. Each four-bar unit comprises two sharply contrasted two-bar ideas:
• first two bars—both hands in the low register with a tremolo-like figure plus staccato in 3rds;
• next two bars—a light, leaping staccato phrase.
Beginning in A♭ major (the tonic’s parallel major), the first unit half-cadences at bar 4; the second closes with a PAC at bar 8.
A′
The music proceeds to A′, which reproduces A literally: it starts in A♭ minor and again moves to C♭ minor, just as before.
Subsequently it again passes through B minor on the way back. Up to the cadence at bar 68, everything is identical to A. After the PAC, the movement turns to the Coda.
Coda
After the cadence, the left hand drives the coda by repeating the dotted-rhythm figure. The texture shows four-part motion and a more intricate structure: above a left-hand A♭ pedal reiterated in dotted rhythm, other motive-fragments from the movement are layered. With C♮ introduced, the close hints at A♭ major in color, though the surrounding scale remains minor—this can be heard as an extended Picardy third. At bar 75 the piece subsides to pianissimo and ends quietly.