The piece is in C minor and is in ternary form.

• A [a (measures 1-4) + a1 (measures 5-8)]
• B [b (measures 9-12) + b1 (measures 13-16)]
• A1 [a (measures 17-20) + a2 (measures 21-24)]
• Coda [measures 25-31]

The tempo marking is Con moto, meaning 'with motion,' and given that the sixteenth-note figures move repetitively throughout, the piece can be considered a fast work with a perpetuum mobile character. Although the left-hand bass is marked legato sempre e tranquillo (legato throughout and quietly) at the beginning, as stepwise ascending and descending motions are observed throughout, it should be played with an awareness of the horizontal flow.