: Recapitulation

The first phrase of the recapitulation, as well as the first two measures of the second phrase, are identical to those of the first part A. Beginning at measure 43, Chopin surprises us again with this passage:

A whole tone scale appears in the bass below descending diminished seventh chords. Chopin demonstrates that descending diminished seventh chords by minor seconds are equivalent to ascending diminished seventh chords by major seconds:

This progression is, of course, a variation of the cycle of fifths progression. Here, it is used to reach the F minor chord (the II degree of E-flat major).

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