Frédéric Chopin
Nocturnes, Op. 27 (Chopin)
The Nocturnes, Op. 27 are a set of two nocturnes for solo piano composed by Frédéric Chopin. The pieces were composed in 1836 and published in 1837. Both nocturnes in this opus are dedicated to
No. 1 in C minor#
The Nocturne in C minor, referred to as Nocturne No. 7 in the context of the complete set of Chopin’s Nocturnes, is initially marked larghetto and is in meter, written as common time. It transitions to più mosso (more movement) in measure 29, along with a time signature change to meter. The piece returns to its original tempo and meter in measure 84, and ends in an adagio beginning in measure 99. The piece is 101 measures long and written in ternary form with coda; the primary theme is introduced, followed by a secondary theme and a repetition of the first. The opening alternates between major and minor and uses wide arpeggios, commonly found in other nocturnes as well, in the left hand; such arpeggios require a wide left hand to play smoothly. James Huneker commented that the piece is “a masterpiece”, pointing to the “morbid, persistent melody” of the left hand. Huneker also likens the più mosso to a work by Beethoven due to the agitated nature of this section. The coda “reminds the listener of Chopin’s seemingly inexhaustible prodigality” according to Dubal while Huneker calls it a “surprising climax followed by sunshine” before returning to the opening theme. The first duet of the ballet In the Night by Jerome Robbins (1970) was choreographed to this piece. image:Chopin nocturne op27 1b.png The second theme of No. 1 in C minor image:Chopin nocturne op27 1c.png Modulation to A major
No. 2 in D major#
The Nocturne in D major, referred to as Nocturne No. 8 in the context of the complete set of Chopin’s Nocturnes, is one of Chopin’s more popular compositions. It is initially marked as lento sostenuto and is in meter. It consists of two strophes, repeated in increasingly complex variations. The piece is 77 measures long. Blair Johnston calls the main cadence, near the end of the piece, “one of the most glorious moments in Chopin’s entire output”. The piece contains a harmony of broken chords which is played with the left hand, a habit Chopin had when composing his nocturnes, while the right hand plays the main melody, often with the addition of a second voice. Various sections consisting of grace notes and polyrhythms add to the delicate and somewhat melancholic mood that the piece conveys. The work heavily influenced Franz Liszt, particularly in his Consolation No. 3 in D-flat major. The similarity between the two works including their shared key, lyrical cantabile melodies, flowing accompaniment, and expressive ornamentation has often been interpreted as a tribute to Chopin who died in 1849, one year before the Consolations were published. The Third Consolation is one of several works in which Liszt adopted a style strongly reminiscent of Chopin’s music; other examples include Liszt’s Polonaises, Berceuse, Mazurka brillante, and Ballades. The piece has occasionally been featured in popular culture, such as in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, the 1998 Russian film The Barber of Siberia, and the webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.
- Composer
- Frédéric Chopin