The second movement is rather more unusual: it opens with an almost classical melody, much like Tchaikovsky's "Variations on a Rococo Theme" for cello, and then proceeds with an assured set of variations, also like the "Rococo Variations". After working itself into more and more ecstatic heights culminating with the final variation, it suddenly goes through a surprising modulation to the original minor key, and the theme from the first movement returns with an even greater gravity, and the entire piece concludes with yet another death march.