The second movement is a relatively conventional scherzo and trio, a moment of relative calm written in D-flat major, the more easily notated enharmonic equivalent of C♯ major, the parallel major of the first movements key, C♯ minor. Franz Liszt is said to have described the second movement as a flower between two chasms. The slight majority of the movement is in piano, but a handful of sforzandos and forte-pianos helps to maintain the movements cheerful disposition.