Description
The Op.55 nocturnes contrast an introspective minor-key opener with a flowing second piece in major mode. The second, despite its simple binary form, unfolds in an unbroken melodic arc that tests a performer's sense of long-range phrasing. Together they call for restrained, carefully shaped emotional expression at an advanced level.
One of Chopin's signature genres — beautiful, lyrical piano pieces that evoke the stillness and poetry of the night.
Browse all songs in Nocturnes →About the Composer
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Frederic Chopin was born in Poland and made his career in Paris, remaining unusual among great composers for writing almost exclusively for piano. He poured his longing for his homeland into mazurkas and polonaises, while his ballades and etudes combine poetic melody with harmonic innovation. This site includes 131 of his works, including the "Revolutionary" Etude, Op. 10, No. 12, and Ballades No. 1 and No. 4.
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