And a corner, peacefully resting,

Is enveloped by the twilight of night.

Inside the fireplace, the embers fade,

And soon, the candle burns out.

The epigraph is from "The Dreamer" (1815), a poem by the great poet Alexander Pushkin, known as the father of modern Russian language, depicting a scene of fading fire amidst the tranquility of night.

The piece is in compound ternary form. The main section is in A major. The theme, lacking a bass note on the first beat, evokes a sense of simplicity and a touch of loneliness. While dynamics and melodic range create a gently sweeping, long-breathed arch, it is also noteworthy that the melody is constructed from 2- or 3-note slurs. The middle section modulates to E minor. It features descending figures that suggest falling into a momentary sleep, followed by improvisatory runs that seem to awaken from it, or depict a dreamscape. In the run sections, although the tonic note does not appear, there are gestures that suggest a modulation to the distant A-flat major, enhancing the fantastical atmosphere. Following the recapitulation of the main section, the coda quietly concludes the piece with the softest dynamics and high notes.

Overall, the piece is structured around soft dynamics, and even at its climax, the volume never exceeds mf. Delicate expressions of p, pp, and even ppp are required.