An étude that, according to Rachmaninoff himself, bears the programmatic title "The Sea and the Gulls." In the main section, a melancholic melody, primarily consisting of ascending and descending fifths and fourths, is played, moving between high and low registers, underpinned by a simple accompaniment figure in two-bar units revolving around C and A notes. The accompaniment figure, which appears persistently throughout, has been noted since the Soviet era for its connection to "Dies Irae"; however, compared to clear examples of quotation (such as the later Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and Symphonic Dances), this passage can be said to be more of an evocation or suggestion of an image rather than a direct "quotation." In the middle section, the mood changes dramatically, building in passion through repeated modulations, but gradually regaining the pathos of the opening section.