Nightcap with Chopin's Nocturne in E Flat Major
The Best Moments
Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2
I'm Frédéric Chopin, and here you'll hear the best moments of my Nocturne in E flat major. You'll hear one singing melody float over a rocking left hand, and notice how it returns more ornamented each time, which is why this short piece has stayed so loved. My fellow composers and I also help you recognize our pieces the moment they begin, so if you'd like to test yourself, the Trainer is ready whenever you are.
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A Rocking Chair With Good Manners
I open with a left hand that rocks gently along in 12/8, like a rocking chair that has never heard of a deadline. Above it floats a melody that sounds like someone singing without words, and the Andante marking tells you to stroll rather than run.
Never Leave a Good Tune Alone
In the middle I can't resist a good tune, so each time the melody comes back I dress it up with a few more ornaments. A gently descending passage links these returns, and even though the piece is in a major key, it keeps a touch of melancholy, like a smile with a little sigh behind it.
The Politest Exit in Music
I finish with a short cadenza, and in the second-to-last bar I write senza tempo, which means the pianist may forget the clock for a moment. Then come calm chords in the home key, and the whole piece, only 34 bars and the shortest of its set, slips away like a guest who says goodnight before anyone notices.
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I hope you enjoyed learning about the best moments of Nocturne in E flat major as much as I enjoyed telling you about them. When I look back at this little piece, I'm still a bit surprised by how much feeling fits into just 34 bars. It's the shortest of the three nocturnes in my Op. 9 set, and yet it has become one of the pieces people love most. Maybe that's because it never tries to impress you, and it simply sings, and then it lets you go with a quiet smile. There is still plenty more to discover in Nocturne in E flat major. You could listen for how the melody changes each time it returns, or notice how the piece is built, or wonder about the composers whose music stood close to mine, like the simpler nocturnes of John Field. You could also find out who the set was dedicated to, since even the sources don't quite agree on which Madame Pleyel it was. If you'd like to keep exploring, please click on the links provided and let the Nocturne in E flat major keep you company a little longer. Sit back, take a slow breath, and listen once more.