Hopes and worries in the face of a social situation in Germany that the composer found disturbing find expression in this character piece in the Schumann tradition. Past and present enter into dialogue.

The text quotation from Heine in the subtitle corresponds to the musical Schubert quotation at the end. The variative figures are reminiscent of a passacaglia. A diabolical dance in the middle section is framed by two parts based on the same material and illustrating nocturnal calm.

The wor...