Fire is one of nature’s deadliest forces: a simple spark can ignite a blaze that devours everything in its path with an all-consuming hunger. In this scene, the blaze has passed and we are witness to the devastation left behind. There is a powerful sense of loss in the music as the melody rises and falls amidst the rich chords of harmony…the distant memory of what was once a vibrant wood teeming with with life. Now all that is left is ash and smoldering ember. As the piece comes to a close, one can hear the mournful cry of a bird in the right hand as the smoke rises from the barren landscape.