A span of three years separate the op. 62 nocturnes from the previous pair published as op. 55, placing their date of composition in 1846, just three years before the composer’s death. By this time, Chopin’s health had already significantly deteriorated, and his compositional output, as well as his fame as a virtuoso, was waning. It is no surprise, then, that these two works were long dismissed, even as late as the 20th century, as the products of a sickly man, one no longer in possession of his former genius. Yet, nothing could be farther from the truth, and such condemnation of these musical gems is hardly justified. Continuing in the line of development of the op. 55, these final nocturnes of Chopin are enshrouded with the intimacy of expression and introspective thought that composers seem only able to reach in their later years.
The first, in B major and marked Andante, opens with two introductory bars that move from the supertonic to a dominant seventh. A brief pause, like a moment’s reflective thought, and the nocturne’s principal theme begins, a beautiful dolce tune above a finely woven accompaniment of broken chords, richly enhanced with lush Romantic harmonies and plentiful appoggiaturas. The theme’s second strain begins to move away from the tonic key, while the accompaniment also becomes more intricate with the addition of a countermelody. Touching on the relative minor, the music ventures ultimately into the key of D-sharp minor. The music takes on an air of mystery as the accompaniment outlines the principal chords of that key over a tonic pedal. An unsettled syncopation begins—a foreshadowing of the nocturne’s middle section, while the right hand weaves mesmerizing melismas that culminate in a sweeping, forte run embellishing a plagal cadence. The principal theme then resumes from the beginning but is substantially altered. In terms of ornamentation, it is only modestly embellished, but it now begins a half measure early, presaging its considerably altered reprise. It averts the full cadence in B major it reached before, and Chopin modulates with masterly ease into the more distant key of A-flat major. Despite its major key tonality, the melody of the middle section is anxious, perturbed by the reappearance of the earlier syncopations and the supple chromaticism of the underlying harmonies, which venture as far afield as A minor. Though the key of A-flat major is regained, even in the episode’s closing measures the music is tinged with the colors of the minor mode. Closing on the dominant, a simple trill leads into the reprise of the principal theme, now elaborately embellished with successive trills and sweeping runs associated with the distinctive fioritura style of Italian bel canto opera. Its actual presence, however is short-lived. A brief contrapuntal interlude leads into an altered version of the early melismatic D-sharp minor section, now transformed with ethereal beauty over a tonic pedal, and ultimately concluding in the final cadential figures of the piece.
The following E major nocturne, the last that Chopin composed, opens without introduction with its principal theme—a lyrical, unassuming, even impersonal theme. It becomes more impassioned during its middle strain, the relatively smooth flow of the melody is disturbed by sudden wide leaps and a sudden build up to a fortissimo on a discord invoking the tones of the parallel minor key. Yet, as if realizing its outburst, the music attempts to quickly regain its cool composure, but a sidestep into the key of C major and the chromatic return to E major belie the piece’s calm. Like several of Chopin’s nocturnes before, this one also turns to a more active middle section. Yet, the agitato style that permeated so many of those works is now replaced by a sense of introspective busywork. Beginning in the bass, lines of sixteenth note adopt familiar contrapuntal figures as the key slips into the relative minor. A melody soon after emerges in the right land, yet Chopin soon delights in letting it engage in delightful imitation with the bass, as it mirrors and adopts its Baroque-ish figurations. With ease, Chopin transitions back into the first theme. Yet, this abridged reprise quickly returns to the contrapuntal preoccupations of the middle section, which forms much of the work’s coda. Joseph DuBose
Classical Music | Piano Music
Frédéric Chopin
Nocturne op. 62, no. 2 Play
Recorded on 10/18/2015, uploaded on 09/06/2015
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Two Nocturnes, op. 62
A span of three years separate the op. 62 nocturnes from the previous pair published as op. 55, placing their date of composition in 1846, just three years before the composer’s death. By this time, Chopin’s health had already significantly deteriorated, and his compositional output, as well as his fame as a virtuoso, was waning. It is no surprise, then, that these two works were long dismissed, even as late as the 20th century, as the products of a sickly man, one no longer in possession of his former genius. Yet, nothing could be farther from the truth, and such condemnation of these musical gems is hardly justified. Continuing in the line of development of the op. 55, these final nocturnes of Chopin are enshrouded with the intimacy of expression and introspective thought that composers seem only able to reach in their later years.
The first, in B major and marked Andante, opens with two introductory bars that move from the supertonic to a dominant seventh. A brief pause, like a moment’s reflective thought, and the nocturne’s principal theme begins, a beautiful dolce tune above a finely woven accompaniment of broken chords, richly enhanced with lush Romantic harmonies and plentiful appoggiaturas. The theme’s second strain begins to move away from the tonic key, while the accompaniment also becomes more intricate with the addition of a countermelody. Touching on the relative minor, the music ventures ultimately into the key of D-sharp minor. The music takes on an air of mystery as the accompaniment outlines the principal chords of that key over a tonic pedal. An unsettled syncopation begins—a foreshadowing of the nocturne’s middle section, while the right hand weaves mesmerizing melismas that culminate in a sweeping, forte run embellishing a plagal cadence. The principal theme then resumes from the beginning but is substantially altered. In terms of ornamentation, it is only modestly embellished, but it now begins a half measure early, presaging its considerably altered reprise. It averts the full cadence in B major it reached before, and Chopin modulates with masterly ease into the more distant key of A-flat major. Despite its major key tonality, the melody of the middle section is anxious, perturbed by the reappearance of the earlier syncopations and the supple chromaticism of the underlying harmonies, which venture as far afield as A minor. Though the key of A-flat major is regained, even in the episode’s closing measures the music is tinged with the colors of the minor mode. Closing on the dominant, a simple trill leads into the reprise of the principal theme, now elaborately embellished with successive trills and sweeping runs associated with the distinctive fioritura style of Italian bel canto opera. Its actual presence, however is short-lived. A brief contrapuntal interlude leads into an altered version of the early melismatic D-sharp minor section, now transformed with ethereal beauty over a tonic pedal, and ultimately concluding in the final cadential figures of the piece.
The following E major nocturne, the last that Chopin composed, opens without introduction with its principal theme—a lyrical, unassuming, even impersonal theme. It becomes more impassioned during its middle strain, the relatively smooth flow of the melody is disturbed by sudden wide leaps and a sudden build up to a fortissimo on a discord invoking the tones of the parallel minor key. Yet, as if realizing its outburst, the music attempts to quickly regain its cool composure, but a sidestep into the key of C major and the chromatic return to E major belie the piece’s calm. Like several of Chopin’s nocturnes before, this one also turns to a more active middle section. Yet, the agitato style that permeated so many of those works is now replaced by a sense of introspective busywork. Beginning in the bass, lines of sixteenth note adopt familiar contrapuntal figures as the key slips into the relative minor. A melody soon after emerges in the right land, yet Chopin soon delights in letting it engage in delightful imitation with the bass, as it mirrors and adopts its Baroque-ish figurations. With ease, Chopin transitions back into the first theme. Yet, this abridged reprise quickly returns to the contrapuntal preoccupations of the middle section, which forms much of the work’s coda. Joseph DuBose
Recorded live on October 18, 1972
courtesy of YouTube
More music by Frédéric Chopin
Ballade N° 3
Mazurka Op. 33 No. 1 in g-sharp minor
Waltz Op 34 N° 2
Mazurka Op 67 N° 4
Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2
Prelude in F major, Op. 28, No. 23, Moderato
Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60
Mazurka Op 63 N° 2
Fantasy, Op. 49
Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp Minor, Op. 66
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