This movement is Chopin's only minuet. When Chopin composed this piece, Beethoven had recently passed away, and Schubert was in his final years. Considering that they often placed scherzos instead of minuets in their sonatas and symphonies during their later lives, this is even more intriguing. Furthermore, the presence of metronome markings makes it an important document for studying the tempo of minuets.

Beginning

 It is also unique from a pianistic perspective; for example, difficult-to-play passages like the following appear in measures 15-21. The better it is played, the less difficult it may sound.

Measures 13-24

The Trio is in E-flat minor, the parallel key to the main section. Conventionally, the chord in measure 4 of the Trio has been interpreted as a major triad (D). However, the National Edition adopts the minor triad (Des) as it appears in the autograph manuscript, with the major triad noted as an alternative.

The latter half of the Trio also contains sections reminiscent of a Mazurka, as if Chopin's true character emerges.

Beginning of the Trio (Autograph manuscript, reprinted from IMSLP with some modifications)

Trio, Measures 19-23