Download F. Chopin: Nocturne in E minor op. 72 no. 1

F. Chopin: Nocturne in E minor op. 72 no. 1
Frédéric Chopin composed exclusively for piano music during his lifetime. One of his
most famous genres of music is the nocturnes. However, he was not the first musician to
compose for this genre of music. Most people credited the creation of nocturnes to John Field,
an Irish composer, who published three nocturnes in 1814. In these pieces, the melody is
melancholy, dreamy, and expressive and flows over block chord accompaniment. Nocturnes
gained popularity with Chopin’s help. His nocturne, in contrast with Field’s nocturnes, the
melody contains extreme chromaticism and ornamentation. The accompaniment varies. Most of
his nocturnes adapt a general ABA form where the B section is a cadenza. This particular
nocturne was written in 1827. It was published after his death in 1855. It was dedicated to
Mademoiselle R. de Konneritz. It is an early example of Chopin’s nocturnes.
In a quick summary of the Nocturne in E minor, it is written for solo piano. Even though
it is marked andante, pianists still have a choice of tempo for personal expression. Not only that,
Chopin is well-known for utilizing a technique called “Tempo Rubato.” This is when the pianists
play the left hand on the beat according to a speed that they have chosen while playing the right
hand notes slightly after the beat. It allows room to express emotions and to create tension in
the music. The structure of the music is loosely based ternary form, which can be represented
by ABA. The first section, the first A, introduces the theme that will be manipulated throughout
the piece. It flows into a transitional-like section and into the next portion of the music, which is
represented by B. The second section is a cadenza containing materials from the opening theme.
It shows off the pianists’ talent. After the second section, melody from the first section returns
without the opening theme and quietly leads to the end. The texture throughout the piece is
homophonic. The melody is lyrical and conjunct while the accompaniment consists of disjunct
triplet. In this piece of music, these elements allow the expression of emotion.
The most important element of this nocturne is the melody because it helps to express
emotion. Throughout the piece, melody in the first section returns with manipulation. The piece
opens with a bar of triplet accompaniment without melody. Then it introduces a simple and
elegant melody flowing over the triplet accompaniment. After several bars, the melody reaches
a brief climax and is in octaves. This section of melody contains materials from the opening
theme. As the melody progresses, Chopin adds another voice to the right hand in some brief
sections. Next, the melody quiets down into a transitional-like section consists of quiet triplets.
The right hand notes create tension in this section by clouding the sense of key. The music
returns to E minor with a tail on the left hand. On the last note, an anticipation note is played by
the right hand to introduce the climax of the piece, which is section B. In Chopin’s music, the
second section is a virtuosic passage with rapid chromatic scales and embellishments. In this
piece, the material in the cadenza is based on the opening theme. After the cadenza, part of a
theme in section A is repeated and it leads to the third section. In this portion of the music, the
melody is similar to the transitional-like melody of section A. It slows down to the tonic chord in
E minor that finishes the piece. The melody highlights the emotion of this nocturne.
Bibliography
Dubal, David. The Nocturnes. The Vancouver Chopin Society. 12 June 2010
<http://www.chopinsociety.org/chopin/nocturnes#noct72>.
Fielden, Thomas P. Mocturne op. 72 No. 1. The Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music, n.d.
Helling, Erik, Joffrey Wallaa and Robert Ståhlbrand. Nocturnes. August 2004. The Piano Society.
12 June 2010 <http://www.pianosociety.com/cms/index.php?section=129>.
Paul, Nico. Nocturnes. 6 January 2010. Chopin Music. 12 June 2010
<http://www.chopinmusic.net/works/nocturnes/>.
W. A. Mozart: Sonata in E Flat Major K 282
Mozart, a musical genius, wrote all genres of music during his lifetime. The Sonata in E
Flat Major was composed in 1774 in Munich where one of his operas premiered. During this
time period, fortepiano was slowly replaced by the harpsichord. Fortepiano, unlike the
harpsichord, allows dynamic contrasts. Consequently, this piece is an early example that uses
dynamic contrasts as a technique for pianists. It was very popular when Mozart traveled from
court to court. This piece showcases his virtuosity and the ability of the fortepiano.
In a quick overview of the Sonata in E flat major, it is a solo piano sonata. The first
movement is Adagio. The second movement is significantly faster than the first movement. It
leads to the third movement marked Allegro. The first movement is generally in E flat major
with modulation. Menuetto I from the second movement is in G minor but Menuetto II returns
to E flat major. The third movement remains in the tonic key. The melody is conjunct with
occasional skips. It is divided into sections by rests. It has occasional ornamentations and
staccatos to add energy and to show off the ability of the fortepiano. The dynamic varies
dramatically between different sections of melody. As mentioned, it shows off the ability of
fortepiano. The texture is monophonic. In some sections, there is a sustain note in the bass that
resembles a drone in bagpipe. These elements in the Sonata in E flat major shows of the ability
of the fortepiano and the pianist.
In classical music, the form is extremely important because it organizes musical ideas.
The first movement resembles a modified sonata-allegro form. In the exposition, Mozart
introduces a simple theme followed by a brief transitional section then moves into an elegant
theme two. In the development section of a sonata-allegro from, the original theme is
introduced in different keys that give the melody a darker color. Afterward, in the recapitulation,
the first theme is missing which makes the first movement an incomplete sonata-allegro form.
The melody in this section is lowered by an octave. In the coda, the missing theme is
reintroduced and finishes off the first movement. The second movement is in ternary form
following the order of “Menuetto I” to “Menuetto II” and back to “Menuetto I.” “Menuetto I” is
in binary form. The first section opens with a soft introduction that leads to a loud bagpipe-like
section. The second section opens with loud rolling chord introduction on the right hand.
“Menuetto II” is in rounded binary form with a repeat of the first theme at the end of the
second theme and a “Da Capo” to return to “Menuetto I.” In the introduction of the second
theme, there is an abrupt change of dynamic. For example, there is a repetition of a sequence:
two soft eighth notes followed by two loud eighth notes then a quart rest. The last movement is
lively and energetic, but it is in sonata-allegro form, which is unusual. The common practice of
Mozart’s time was to use a lively rondo. The exposition contains two themes. Theme one
consists of a pickup note and eight bars. Then a bridge modulates the melody into B flat major.
The second theme is longer and leads to the development. The development is based on
materials introduced in theme one. After the development, the recapitulation follows. In the
recapitulation, the exposition is repeated but lowered by an octave in some sections. It ends off
with a small but energetic codetta at the end.
Bibliography
Andersob, Greg. On the Wings of Song. 2009. 12 June 2010
<http://www.andersonpiano.com/wingsofsong/mozart.php>.
Helling, Erik, Joffrey Wallaa and Robert Ståhlbrand. Nocturnes. August 2004. The Piano Society.
12 June 2010 <http://www.pianosociety.com/cms/index.php?section=129>.
Paul, Nico. Nocturnes. 6 January 2010. Chopin Music. 12 June 2010
<http://www.chopinmusic.net/works/nocturnes/>.