Chopin Nocturnes

[dinosaurtales]

OK all you Chopin officianados!  I don't know much about his music - I 've hacked through a couple of waltzes, but that's about it.  My teacher had me buy the Nocturnes (because she is appalled that I don't play any Chopin to date!) and she is going to assign me one.  I will have no say in the matter, I suspect, but would like to know if you could pick one nocturne to learn, which would it be?  Any favorites out there?

[erik-]

- The first nocturne I worked when I was a kid was the nocturne  no.20 in C sharp minor op. posth. It's not difficult technically but it's very beautiful and musical.

- One of my favourite nocturnes is the nocturne n. 13 in C minor op. 48 n.1

[Noah]

OK all you Chopin officianados!

*aficionados*  

[dinosaurtales]

Thanks, noah.

[bachopoven]

In my opinion, Ccopin pieces, esp. Nocturnes and Preludes, are good left-hand workouts with beautiful right hand melodies.

I am a beginner and have been playing music that mostly exercises the right hand more and now am struglling to keep the left hand bass of Chopin pieces going.

Good luck. I am sure you'll ejoy Chopin.

[allchopin]

Though not necessarily for beginners, I would have to say that #1 Op. 48 is the ultimate Chopin nocturne.  The middle-end part is amazing and very powerful.
Again formidable, but in same boat as #1 Op. 48, is the Op. 15 in F.   It seems to have the same aura about it as the Etude #3 Op. 10 'Tristesse' (if you know this etude either...).
Basically they are all good except maybe #1 Op. 37 and #3 Op. 15.

[hawa1]

Yup, Op.48 No.1 is definitely the ultimate one. But it's rather difficult to play, read somewhere that it's supposed to be for Grade 8+.

A very popular one is Op.9 No.2. It's quite manageable and very beautiful too.

Well, basically I love Chopin's Nocturnes and I think they're all beautiful. Enjoy

[bachopoven]

I wonder if Chopin was left-handed.

The left hand movements in his pieces are fast. The right hand brings out the beautiful melodies, but most of the challenge, in my experience in learning the pieces, is in the left hand, to match the rhythm and harmony with the right hand.

[epsil0n]

hi all im a new member here
i have a suggestion that hasn't been mentioned yet

in my opinion, i think the other c#- nocturne chopin wrote, op. 27-1, is just as powerful as the c- op. 48-1.  the middle section is very turbulent but yet very passionate.  its one of my favorite pieces to play on days when my mood just isn't too bright.  

not a good piece for beginners though because the left hand has some wide stretches and jumps (the biggest jump being two octaves)

[eddie92099]

I wonder if Chopin was left-handed.

I doubt it by looking at his other scores,
Ed

[bachopoven]

I think the first piece to learn form a Chopin genre will be the hardest. Taking the Nocturnes, for example, the demands of the left and right hands appear similar. That's the good news.

[dinosaurtales]

Well, Op 9 #2 it is.  I sight read through it, and it's not like any other piece I have ever played!  Geez! I don't know if I can pull off the lilting, light nature of it.  Oh man.  At least it's short, so the audience won't be tortured for long!

[rachfan]

Dino,

When you have more time to return to the Nocturnes later, there are other gems in there.  I have extremely limited practice time.  A couple of summers ago, I decided to do a set of three of the Nocturnes, so picked my personal favorites. Here they are:

No. 4, Op. 15, No. 1 in F
No. 16, Op. 55, No. 2 in E flat
No. 18, Op. 62, No. 2 in E

They are all superb.

[dinosaurtales]

RachFan!  Where the heck have you been?  I will certainly check out these nocturnes.  They really are pretty pieces, but they are so outside of my comfort zone.  I s'pose they'll be good for me.  I think I've had a fairly limited *upbringing*

[willster]

Nocturne opus 9 no 1  is my favourite Nocturne and not as hackneyed as the opus 9 no 2

[johnreef]

I really like opus 48 #2 in F# minor. I think it is the "saddest" of the nocturnes!

[BiG-e]

I really love the Nocturne in C# minor (posthumous). Can't get enough of it after first hearing it from "The Pianist" soundtrack. So *simple* note-wise, but so beautiful in quality.

[dj]

Code: [Select]

Well, Op 9 #2 it is.  I sight read through it, and it's not like any other piece I have ever played!  Geez! I don't know if I can pull off the lilting, light nature of it.  Oh man.  At least it's short, so the audience won't be tortured for long!


good choice, although i must admit, after hearing the rubinstein recording of that piece, i can naver b happy with now i play it.

[Lilo]

Hello

I think Op 9. 2 is the easier one -and one of the shorters. You should begin with this one -well, I did so   But I'd say op 72. 1 is my favorite one (I'd say, the best of them all), and it's not so difficult... so you can try it too  

Elsa

[dinosaurtales]

dj you are right on!  I got the Rubenstein cd and it's so gorgeous it's almost depressing to think of myself hacking my way through the thing!