I feel the same way about 9/2. It's nice, but so overplayed that I don't even want to play it. Plus, I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but it was used on a women's vitamin commercial years ago, and now I can't help remembering that when I hear it.

You're right about 9/1 - I love it. That g-flat on the second to last measure just kills me. I'm trying to decide which nocturne to learn next and it's either that one or 62/2. Any thoughts on these two?

I think you should go for 62/2. It's very under-played in my opinion, and is just as (if not more) beautiful than a lot of Chopin's nocturnes. The darker C-sharp Minor section seems kind of hard though.

I also love that G-flat you mentioned! Adds so much depth to the ending, whereas a lot of his pieces end by playing the same chord a few times. It makes such a (beautiful) difference!

My association problem with this one is a Madonna movie from about 10-15 years ago called "Body of Evidence". It was a very risqué movie, and I watched it with my mom and her best friend, so it ended up being pretty embarrassing for her (she didn't expect it to be so raunchy). Anyway, it was all about S&M, and Madonna was trying to convince Willem Dafoe's character that he was an S&M kind of guy - they were in a restaurant, and the 9/2 nocturne was playing.


Just go with whichever one you want to play the most. I really love both of them, but I'd probably choose the 9/1. But, as chopinman said, the 62/2 is rather underplayed - probably because it's one of those that doesn't quite catch your attention in the beginning. You have to sort of make it past the exposition before it gets good, and you sort of have to be familiar with what comes in the development sections to really appreciate the exposition.

I too agree. 9/2 is just too happy and naive for me to like it. I have played it but I never felt anything special about it. I think it's fame is the result of that many not so advanced listeners immediately can take this piece in. 9/1 is somewhat overplayed too but I still like the tension it creates from the introduction of the theme and the feeling it touches deep within me. Also, I like 9/3 much better than 9/2.

Oh, yeah. 9/3 is nice too. I opened my book to see which one it is, and now an hour later, I still can't stop humming that lilting melody in my head. (not easy to sing those leggierissimo/dolcissimo runs, though )

I think the theme of 9/3 might be the most beautiful of all of the nocturnes. I would play it more often, but that stormy F Minor mid-section is very difficult to play at the correct tempo.

As with all extremely famous pieces, none of us can really like 9/2. But it's still a great (and pretty) nocturne. Otherwise, why would it be so popular? I still don't play it that much because so many people have heard it a lot (including myself), but from time to time I'll play through it. As I'm playing it, I always see why it's one of Chopin's most famous compositions. It's catchy, it's pretty, etc. It's definitely more impressive than famous pieces like Fur Elise, Prelude in C-sharp Minor (Rachmaninoff), and even Ravel's Bolero (I was never too fond of that piece). I think solely because of how over-played the 9/2 E-flat Major nocturne is, none of us will truly be able to appreciate it for what it really is.

forget about those two...play the best nocturne in the world: Nocturne Op.48 No.1!!! I'm sure you'll do justice to this magnificent piece!

Wow I just realized that I thought Nocturne Op. 9, No. 3 was the F Major one. I feel stupid now.

I still love the B Major Op. 9/3. I've never actually played it though. Now I feel inspired to go play it this instant...

You're right, romanza, the C Minor nocturne is incredible! I love the chords Chopin uses in the A section. After that section, though, it gets so hard with those enormous chords. I have pretty big hands (I can stretch an 11th and sometimes a 12th), and I can't really do it. I have heard somewhere that this nocturne is like a ballade. Has anyone else heard this comparison. I definitely agree; maybe the title should be Nocturne-Ballade. It is without a doubt one of the grandest of the nocturnes.

You might try the nocturne Op. 27 no. 2 in Db major. This is, to my mind, the best nocturne that Chopin ever wrote, very romantic but not too melancholic. It seems this nocturne has even inspired Liszt in his 2nd version Consolation No. 3 Db major - similar ideas but more simple in melody and easier to play.

Hi Stephan - this is a five-year-old topic! But since I posted it, Op.27, no. 2 had actually become my favorite nocturne. Or maybe it was before I posted this, I don't remember. Anyway, yes, it's a wonderful piece - I still really love it.