1 The 19th century Nocturne was a style of piano music that was greatly embraced by the Romantic composers

and their audiences. Solo piano music and the art song were becoming known in the 19th century and the Sonata- Allegro form was gradually declining. Nocturnes were performed for their emotional effect on the listener and for the atmosphere they created.1 The word Nocturne translates to night music. It was considered to be a piece of music that was composed and played for night performances. In the 18th century the title Notturno were used by the Italians to describe instrumental works performed at night. Nachtmusik is the collective title given to the German pieces of music that were considered to be part of a multi-movement work for evening performances. The titles Serenade and Divertimento were often given to these pieces.2 But in the 19th century a new and more popular use of the title Nocturne was developed. It was given to describe a piece of solo piano music, a character piece. Pastorales and Romances were the titles given to the first set of published Nocturnes. But after a successful evening performance the titles were changed to Nocturnes.3 The actual atmosphere of the Nocturne is reminiscent of old Irish Airs.4 A great quote by John OConor, a pianist of John Field Nocturnes. Irish Airs have a gentle lyricism to them in which the Nocturne resembles in its right hand melody. The Nocturne style fluctuates from Nocturne to Nocturne, but they share many of the same characteristics. Allan Wagenheim courageously compiles and lists ten characteristics which include: the yearning: a short phrase where the notes rise and retreat using
1

Conlon, Colleen. The Harmonic, Melodic and Historical Implications of the Nocturnes of Frederick Chopin. Thesis: (Mankato, Minn., June 1995), 16. 2 Conlon, Colleen, 5. 3 Conlon, Colleen, 14. 4 Wagenheim, Allan J. John Field and the Nocturne. (Xlibris Corp., USA, 2006), 12.

2 crescendos and diminuendos, the sigh or sob: a phrase of two notes in which the first note is higher in pitch, the mood contrast: passages characterized by an abrupt shift from soft to loud or vice versa, and the conversation: a duet between upper and lower voices.5 Louis Adam, a French piano virtuoso and the first professor at the Paris Conservatoire, composed in a style that is considered to be the first fully-developed nocturne style.6 His piano sonatas, especially Op. 7, no. 3, display the simple long-note, ornamented melodic writing in the right hand and the broken chord accompaniment in the left hand that is characteristic in many of the 19th century Nocturnes.7 Another characteristic that is found in both Adams sonatas and the Nocturnes is the use of the pedals on the keyboard. By the mid 1790s pedals were found on most pianos and instead of being used to imitate other instruments they were being used to enable the left hand in exceeding the span of a ninth or tenth.8 Irish composer and piano virtuoso, John Field became the first composer to use these motifs and the first to apply them to the title Nocturne. He created, what we know as, the piano solo Nocturne. Frederick Chopin, another piano virtuoso, took Fields Nocturne and further developed it. Making it the prototype of Romantic characteristics and elements of technique, structure, harmony and melody.9 These two composers were the pioneers of the Nocturne and they continue to inspire and entertain the emotions of their listeners. Russia was where it all started. She was just starting to welcome the Romantic and Nationalistic movement that was sweeping through Europe in the 19th century. They were on their way to defeating Napoleon in France in 1814 and finally in 1815 they
5 6

Wagenheim, Allan J, 14. Samson, Jim. The Cambridge Companion to Chopin. (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992) 38. 7 Samson, Jim, 38. 8 Samson, Jim, 39. 9 Conlon, 1.

3 ended Frances domination of much of the European Continent. Romantic poetry from Aleksander Pushkin dominated the country while Mikhail Glinka became the first internationally known Russian composer. Empress Anna Ivanovna brought in Italian opera during the 18th century along with French ballet, but by the 19th century Russian libretto dominated the operas and the ballets were infused with Russian folk traditions.10 Russia had become a melting pot of different cultures. Western Europeans flocked the cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow including the composers Muzio Clementi and John Field. John Field was an instant hit with Russians and made St. Petersburg and Moscow his home. The years 1812 to1817 found Field very busy with publications of his music. His first Divertissements were published in 1812 in France and Germany and by 1816 they were found in England, Italy and Austria.11 In 1814 Fields first three Nocturnes were published, but under the titles Pastorale or Romance. This year marked the beginning of the Nocturne. Four of Fields Concertos were published in 1815 and 1816 along with his A flat Quintet. And in 1817 his Nocturnes 4, 5 and 6 were published in Russia and Germany along with his 5th Concerto.12 He was becoming internationally known with the help of a Russian publisher Dalmus and Breitkopf and Hrtel. His music quickly became an essential part of the repertoire.13 Fellow composers and pianists were in awe of his abilities and many took the journey to Russia to hear Field play. He was a pianist of outstanding ability with brilliant technique. Such limpidity, such

10

Russia: 19th Century. Encyclopedia Britannica. Available from http://www.britannica.com/eb/article38637/Russia; accessed on April 14, 2008. 11 Branson, David. John Field and Chopin. (London: Barrie & Jenkins Ltd.,1972), 6. 12 Branson, David, 7. 13 Piggott, Patrick. The Life and Music of John Field: 1782-1837. (Berkeley and Los Angeles: Uni. Of California Press, 1973), 101.

4 tenderness, such astonishingly expressive playingit reminds you of the singing voice with all its nuances.14 Field was one of the most sought after pianists of his time though many never got the chance to hear him play. Pianist flocked to St. Petersburg in hopes of receiving lessons from Field. So many came that St. Petersburg was called Pianopolis in the music world.15 One of his most famous pupils was Mikhail Glinka, who became the founder of the Russian National Opera and Nationalist School of composition.16 Fields pupils kept his technique alive along with his concertos, which he edited for the benefit of his pupils.17 Fingering was a key component of his works as well as the sustaining pedal. Fields Nocturnes benefited greatly from his constant use of the sustaining pedal. Field tended to keep the pedal down throughout many of his codas and he used a rhythmic pedaling technique.18 Field preferred playing on a Tischner grand, which produced a sweet, silvery tone and immediate response with even the smallest of touch.19 This piano was perfect for his Nocturnes. Unfortunately, Tischners pianos are rare today and the hope of reproducing the sound and pedaling affect of Fields Nocturnes is almost impossible. Fields Nocturnes were some of the first compositions to portray an emotion or atmosphere.20 The melodies of his Nocturnes transferred to the keyboard the cantilena of Italian opera.21 The Italian bel canto style was prominent in Fields melodies. The effortless delivery of ornamented melodies fit the style of the Romantic era. His
14 15

Piggott, Patrick, 103. Piggott, Patrick, 101. 16 Branson, David, 6. 17 Piggott, Patrick, 106. 18 Stewart, Paul Blackwell. . The Nocturnes of John Field. Thesis: (Florida State Univ., 1985), 88. 19 Piggott, Patrick, 105. 20 Conlon, Colleen, 17. 21 Stewart, Paul Blackwell, 30.

5 harmonies were usually tertian consisting of arpeggiated chords spanning great distances. His textures start out simple with his first two Nocturnes being in two voices but moving to four voices in his third, fourth, and fifth Nocturnes.22 The form was usually in ABA except for his fourth Nocturne, which is the first to be composed in ternary form. His technique was difficult and his style fit the beauty of his Nocturnes. Field created the style, but Frederick Chopin developed it into what we hear today. Frederick Chopin was at the height of his career when his first set of Nocturnes was published in 1833. He was just 23 years old. He lived in Paris living the life of a noble. He rode in horse drawn carriages, lived in a luxury apartment with a servant and wore the most up-to-date fashion of the day.23 Paris was perfect for his music and style of playing. He was regarded as a star.24 He gained many friends that supported and promoted his music including Liszt, Berlioz and Mendelssohn. But none would be more influential in his life than George Sand. They met in 1837 and were soon doing everything together. She had a dynamic personality and was not like the women of the day. Sand fascinated Chopin, which lasted 10 years until she abruptly ended their relationship in 1848. It is said that Chopin wrote some of his finest music during this time and when the relationship ended so did his life.25 He was in great demand as a teacher, especially to the nobility. And in 1835 when Chopin denounced public performances, teaching became a big part of his income as well as being the only place that one might get the chance to hear him play. Chopin lived by the piano. He played a Pleyel piano, which were suited for his sound. The tone died away more quickly than the other pianos and the pianos of today. Here, Chopin found the source for his compositions
22 23

Stewart, Paul Blackwell, 55. Nicholas, Jeremy. Frederic Chopin. The Great Composers. (London: Quercus, 2007), 78. 24 Nicholas, Jeremy, 78. 25 Nicholas, Jeremy, 78-79.

6 and the style that compliments his works. His pianissimos were enchanting whispers and his fortes were loud and powerful.26 He had great power when he played before he became too weak and the tone that he produced from his piano was unlike anybody had heard. Chopin had a manner of touching the keyboard, which produced a misty fluidity in his sound.27 Chopins hand stretched to tenths contributing to the newly developed leaping style of the Romantic era. Like Field, fingering was key to Chopin. He used his own style of fingering; fingering that suited his music and his hand. His melodies came under the influence of Sontag and Paganini; imitating the voice and the violin.28 Their ornamentations were necessary for their existence. He was a virtuoso at the piano and his execution was visibly effortless. In Chopins own words: Simplicity is everything. After having exhausted all the difficulties, after having played immense quantities of notes, and more notes, then simplicity emerges with all its charm, like arts final seal.29 Chopin composed and published Ballades, numerous Etudes and Mazurkas, 24 Preludes, 10 Nocturnes and various other works between the years 1833 and 1838 that demonstrated the Chopin Style. Chopins Nocturnes were some of the most expressive and technically demanding pieces in his repertoire. He owes a lot to John Field, who set the bar for the Nocturne style. Chopin employed two or more octaves in his Nocturnes for both the melody and the harmony as did Field, but with Chopin these notes were outside of the chord.30 Chopins form was more dynamic then Fields. His Nocturnes were still in the ABA
26

Huneker, James. The Artist. Chopin: The Man and his Music. (New York: Dover Publications, 1966), 54. 27 Bailie, Eleanor. Chopins Playing. The Pianists Repertoire: Chopin. (London: Kahn and Averill, 1998), 12. 28 Huneker, James, 61. 29 Bailie, Eleanor, 14. 30 Samson, Jim, 45.

7 form, but the B section had a bigger contrast in tempo for dramatic purposes. Chopins sound was sad and almost complaining-like. Fields was joyful yet soothing. Where Field smiles, Chopin makes a grinning grimace; where Field sighs, Chopin groans; where Field shrugs his shoulders, Chopin twists his whole body; where Field puts some seasoning into the food, Chopin empties a handful of cayenne pepper.31 John Fields Nocturne in C minor, No. 2 is a great example of mood. Since it is in minor we hear a sad, lovelorn melody; like daylight on a shady avenue.32 The tempo given to No. 2 is Moderato e molto espressivo. Clearly, Field wants a variation in tempo. This helps portray the sadness and sobbing that Field wants to achieve in this Nocturne. We see this emotion in the first four measures of No. 2. (Ex: 1) The accented B brings us to the climax of that swell. Another great example of this sobbing affect is portrayed in measures 98 thru 104. (Ex: 2) In Chopins Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, No. 2 his sobbing starts off in the beginning, as well. (Ex: 3) Both Nocturnes exude the bel canto style in their melodies, but for Field the melody develops into a beautiful duet between right and left hand. Even though the left hand moves chromatically down the scale, the listener needs to hear this scale because it brings a sense of grounded balance. (Ex: 4) The accompaniment is diatonic with chromatic tendencies and modulations to closely related keys. In measures 78 to 89 Field takes us through a journey of modulations in major, minor and diminished chords until finally it leads us back to the tonic, C minor. (Ex: 5) Chopins harmony contains many chromatics, as well, but the performer must interpret them as enharmonics to D flat and F flat.33 (Ex: 6) A wonderful rhythmic feature that Field brings to his Nocturne is the use of hemiolas, two against
31 32

Huneker, James, 143. Wagenheim, Allen, 43. 33 Conlon, Colleen, 57.

8 three. For example, Fields meter is in 3/8 and with the use of two note slurs he maintains a hemiola.34 (Ex: 7) Chopins Nocturne in D-flat Major shows some signs of irregular rhythm by his ornaments. He has an abundant of ornaments, which exceed Field. He has numerous triplets and a figure starting in measure 51 that sings and portrays virtuosity. (Ex: 8) Even in the last two measures of the piece Chopin dazzles us with two groups of seven. (Ex: 8) These two Nocturnes are the early specimens of both Field and Chopin, but they already show great signs of beautiful character piece. The 19th century piano Nocturne was the first in its kind. John Field created a beautiful, emotionally filled piece that complimented the Romantic era nicely. His influence was great upon Frederick Chopin, who continued to develop the Nocturne style to fit the Romantic style. Chopins Nocturnes, in return, influenced Debussy and many other composers. As a result, we have a character piece that will live on in the repertoires of many pianists.

34

Stewart, Paul Blackwell, 45.