Nocturne

Characteristics

French for “night piece”

a short mood piece (typically for solo piano) evoking night, usually with a beautiful, embellished melody above a sonorous accompaniment of broken chords

slow, lyrical, and intimate in character

 

Listening

John Field, Nocturne No. 1 in E-flat Major

0:02  A section – Lyrical and cantabile melody played by the right hand; broken-chord accompaniment in the left hand

1:31  B section – Begins in the dominant key (Bb major)

  • 2:06  modulate to F minor (sad and meloncholic)
  • 2:37 staccato notes in the melody (playful and lively)

    • 3:13  A section – mostly the same as the first A section, with additional ornaments and running figurations

    Listening

    Chopin, Nocturne No. 2 in E-flat Major

    0:02  A section – Cantabile, dolce, expressive melody played by the right hand in legato; waltz-like chordal accompaniment in the left hand

    1:00  B section – begins with a descending sequential progression, played with rubato

    1:31  A section – Same as the first A section, with additional ornaments 

    2:00  B section – Same as B section before

    2:31  A section – Same as the first A section

    3:03  Coda – Tonic pedal at the beginning; then the music becomes more agitated, dynamics rising to fortissimo (ff); an extended trill-like figuration over the prolonged dominant harmony; the piece ends peacefully in pianississimo (ppp)