Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) is Poland’s greatest composer. In fact, he is almost certainly the most popular composer of solo piano works in all of history. The 19th-century English poet Jean Ingelow suggested that Chopin was to music as Tennyson was to poetry. The characterization of him as the “poet of the piano” has now become commonplace, for it conjures up imagery that serves far better than mere words, especially as the grace and beauty of his music often beggar description. 

Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982) entertained the public for eighty years, giving his first piano concert in 1900, at the age of 13. His flawless technique and grace made him perfect for Chopin. He is considered the definitive interpreter of Chopin’s piano music.

Chopin composed almost exclusively within established musical forms. Although he wrote in the expressive Romantic idiom, as was the style of his day, he did not push the bounds of form like Beethoven, Brahms, and Liszt. He was, according to Rubinstein, a “pure” composer. In his tragically short life (ended by tuberculosis at age 39), Chopin composed Waltzes, Preludes, Etudes, Sonatas, and Concertos, and elevated the little-known Polish dance forms of the Polonaise and Mazurka to new heights. Our piece today is a Nocturne, a piece of music meant to evoke thoughts or images of the night. This particular Nocturne is one of Chopin’s earliest published compositions and serves as an excellent introduction to his piano works. 

Chopin begins with a flowing right-hand melody in the minor key and then immediately introduces a left-hand accompaniment in the second measure. The melody takes many liberties, embellishing the music in ways that sound almost improvised, but the accompaniment maintains its steady arpeggios at six notes per beat throughout. At 1:15, the music shifts to something new – the “A section” has ended and the “B section” has begun. At 2:47 the B section evolves, from simple octaves to rich harmony, before giving way to the return of the A section at 4:02. (This “ABA” form is very common in classical music!) At 4:56, Chopin brings the Nocturne to a close with a sudden echo of the B section’s harmonies, this time crying out in anguish and coinciding with a cessation at last of the left-hand accompaniment. This painful cry lasts for but a moment, however, and the piece concludes with surprising tranquility, a series of chords in the major key.

Click here for more of Arthur Rubinstein playing Chopin.