Chopin sometimes wrote out 'exclusive' versions of ornaments and cadenzas for his high-born pupils to play, allowing them to sound as if they were improvising.
Composition History
The 'Lento con gran espressione' in C sharp minor, a wedding gift for Chopin's sister Ludwika, includes themes borrowed from her favorite compositions by her brother: Piano Concerto No 2 and the song 'Zyczenie'.
Instruments
Chopin's preferred Pleyel piano had a much faster decay of resonance than modern instruments, which influenced his compositional style by compelling the pianist to move to the next note quickly.
Compositional Technique
Chopin often indicated precise metronome markings for his nocturnes, sometimes specifying a pulse of one heartbeat per bar, as in the enigmatic Nocturne Op 15 No 3.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Chopin, despite his love for the human voice and opera, wrote very few songs; his nocturnes are considered by some to be his finest 'operatic arias'.
Compositional Technique
Chopin's improvisatory approach to ornamentation is evident in the variations found across different editions and in his handwritten embellishments in pupils' copies.
Historical Context
The term 'nocturne' in the early 19th century commonly referred to a vocal piece, often a duet, performed socially, a practice that John Field, an Irish composer, adapted for solo piano around 1811.
You might also enjoy...
Chopin: Nocturnes, Vol. 1
Chopin: Nocturnes, Vol. 1
Chopin: Nocturnes Vol.2
Chopin: The Nocturnes
Frédéric Chopin: Complete Nocturnes
Chopin, F.: Nocturnes Nos. 1-21
Chopin : Nocturnes
Chopin: 12 Nocturnes for Piano (Digitally Remastered)
