At 2:47 the B section evolves, from simple octaves to rich harmony, before giving way to the return of the A section at 4:02. At 1:15, the music shifts to something new – the “A section” has ended and the “B section” has begun.
The melody takes many liberties, embellishing the music in ways that sound almost improvised, but the accompaniment maintains its steady arpeggios at six notes per beat throughout. This particular Nocturne is one of Chopin’s earliest published compositions and serves as an excellent introduction to his piano works.Ĭhopin begins with a flowing right-hand melody in the minor key and then immediately introduces a left-hand accompaniment in the second measure. Our piece today is a Nocturne, a piece of music meant to evoke thoughts or images of the night. In his tragically short life (ended by tuberculosis at age 39), Chopin composed Waltzes, Preludes, Etudes, Sonatas, and Concertos, and elevated the little-known Polish dance forms of the Polonaise and Mazurka to new heights. He was, according to Rubinstein, a “pure” composer. Although he wrote in the expressive Romantic idiom, as was the style of his day, he did not push the bounds of form like Beethoven, Brahms, and Liszt. He is considered the definitive interpreter of Chopin’s piano music.Ĭhopin composed almost exclusively within established musical forms. His flawless technique and grace made him perfect for Chopin. The characterization of him as the “poet of the piano” has now become commonplace, for it conjures up imagery that serves far better than mere words, especially as the grace and beauty of his music often beggar description.Īrthur Rubinstein (1887-1982) entertained the public for eighty years, giving his first piano concert in 1900, at the age of 13. The 19th-century English poet Jean Ingelow suggested that Chopin was to music as Tennyson was to poetry. In fact, he is almost certainly the most popular composer of solo piano works in all of history. Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) is Poland’s greatest composer.
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