Chopin Nocturne in B Major, Op 9 No 3 -- tempo of middle part?

[kliewe]

Any thoughts on the tempo of the Agitato section of this nocturne?

The beginning Allegretto section is listed as 66 for a dotted-quarter in my book, but there is no marking for Agitato. I would think that the Agitato and Allegretto sections should be linked, tempo-wise.

I've heard several performances of this Nocturne in which the Agitato tempo just seems completely unrelated to the Allegretto.  I suspect that many players simply play the Agitato as fast as they can, with no relationship to the tempo of the Allegretto that precedes it.

[liordavid]

I've heard several performances of this Nocturne in which the Agitato tempo just seems completely unrelated to the Allegretto.  I suspect that many players simply play the Agitato as fast as they can, with no relationship to the tempo of the Allegretto that precedes it.
[/quote] Sadly that is true. When so many people hear the word "Agitato" they think that it automatically means fast. Not necessarily. I think that it should only have an agitated touch (possibly no faster than the opening Allegretto.)

[kliewe]

The Allegretto is in 6/8, while the Agitato is in 2/2.  So how does one play the Agitato at the "same tempo" as the Allegretto?

[liordavid]

132=quarter note

[gyzzzmo]

With 'Agitato' indicating that that part has another 'mood' than the rest of the part, you could say it is unrelated of the rest in that way.
Tempo wise, since you have to make the melody sound 'agitated', the left hand is forced to play those notes quite fast to make that melody a whole in that mood.
Sometimes it helps to play the melody alone in the way you (or the composer) want it to sound like, to give you an impression how fast the accompanying notes are required to be played.

btw, a very nice nocturne.

Gyzzzmo