Nocturnes
Frederic Chopin
Work background
Researched classical background
Chopin developed the piano nocturne into a flexible form of lyrical expression, building on the example of John Field. Singing upper lines can be richly ornamented while the accompaniment shifts their harmonic meaning. The group includes pieces written across much of his career, with quieter reflections beside dramatic climaxes. This entry covers the nocturnes as a collection, not a piano sonata.
A listening guide
Follow the melody as if it were a singer, then hear how the accompaniment changes its color.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Solo piano
Composition: Multiple dates; mainly 1830-1846
The institute describes a long series with disputed dates for some posthumously published pieces; 1846 does not date the entire collection.
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Date, title and version notes
Collection boundaries and numbering vary, particularly for posthumous works.
A single composition year is inappropriate for the complete group.
Fryderyk Chopin
Indexed institute excerpt: collection chronology and the status of posthumous nocturnes. Full page required JavaScript. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Nocturne in E, Op. 62, No. 2 - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
Fryderyk Chopin
Indexed institute excerpt: collection chronology and the status of posthumous nocturnes. Full page required JavaScript. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Nocturne in E, Op. 62, No. 2 - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Browse by year
1960-2025. Each year contains 150 selections.