II. Adagio

The piano enters, fortissimo, with descending double octaves–fast
at first, then slowing, with an extreme decrescendo, as we more toward the bass, ending on the lowest A

a solo oboe enters, restating its original song, quickly joined by the wind section,
creating a polyphony of contrasting tunes, as the piano begins a series of rapid scales,
up and down the keyboard, as the cellos and basses enter to insist on a ponderous,
hesitant cadence

the piano transitions to chords, collecting the many voices in two hands,
and the strings enter with another melody, which puts the drone of the cellos
and basses in an new, ironic context

the orchestra swells to forte as the movement modulates to the parallel major
the brass enter, adding energy to the drone, while the flutes play the oboe’s 
song, high above the rest, as the music moves back to A minor

the piano enters with double octaves on the lowest A, pianissimo,
and crescendos as the octaves rise toward the highest registers,
ending on the highest A, fortissimo

the third movement begins, without. pause