Andante, E minor, 6/8 time

A pensive barcarolle. The concept of placing a minor-key barcarolle as the slow movement within a major-key work has a famous precedent in W. A. Mozart's Piano Concerto in A major, K. 488.

This movement possesses an expanded ternary form, structured as ABA’CA’’. Section A is presented in E minor, followed by the graceful Section B in the relative major, G major. Subsequently, the main theme returns in the tonic key, reduced to its rhythmic skeleton (Section A’). Section C is in a contrasting C major. In contrast to the less active Section A, both middle sections, B and C, are characterized by sixteenth-note motion. When Section A finally returns, the rhythmic patterns of both middle sections appear in the accompaniment. Specifically, the left hand in Section A’’, supporting the recapitulated opening melody, consistently articulates in sixteenth notes. Thus, at its conclusion, this movement achieves a kind of integration between the main section and both middle sections.