The instruction for this fourth piece is “Mit Humor (with humor),” but German humor is distinctive. Rather than being conscious of others, it might be described as a certain comicality that stems from an overly serious disposition. The opening section, in ternary form, consists of two themes: the first features a very serious and ponderous chord progression, while the next part seems to interject with clumsy chords and rhythms against the flowing melody in the upper voice. The middle section, characterized by somewhat indistinct back-and-forth motion of second intervals—a common feature in other pieces as well—progresses as if questioning an inner state, making it an interesting piece where moods shift rapidly, true to its title.