Andante (at a walking pace) – Allegretto (somewhat fast)

Written around 1820-21, this piece marks a complete shift from the early style up to No. 5, transitioning into a late style. The introduction (Andante section, 3/4 time) is full of fantasy and cadenza-like (resembling the atmosphere of the slow movements in late sonatas from Piano Sonata No. 28 onwards).

The main section (Allegretto section, 2/4 time), beginning from measure 7, is marked “leggiermente (leichtlich vorgetragen)” meaning “lightly (played lightly),” suggesting a smooth flow of faint thoughts and aimless reflections.

The repeated identical rhythms and continuous ties gradually diminish the sense of bar lines and pulse. The sense of structure and assertion recedes, and the style, where self-dialogue-like contemplation flows continuously, has parallels with the later Romantic style of composers like Schumann. At measure 40, the time signature changes to 6/8, but it is marked “l’istesso tempo (dieselbe Bewegung)” meaning “at the same tempo without changing the length of one beat (with the same motion).” It would be good to play it like a gradation, so as not to make the change in time signature noticeable.