Sheet Music: Nocturne

TitleNocturne
Alternate titlesNocturne in Bb minor
Opus numberOp. 9, No. 1
ComposerFrédéric Chopin (1810–1849)
InstrumentationFlute and bass instrument
KeyB-flat minor
RangeC4–Gb6
Time signature6/4
Tempo116 BPM
Performance time5:00
Difficulty leveladvanced
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (181 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (4.2 MB)
Play-along accompanimentMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (4.3 MB)
Date added2011-09-08
Last updated2011-09-08
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 1.9 (above average)
Categories
Nocturnes, Romantic

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Thursday 8 September 2011

Tune of the Day: Nocturne in B-flat minor

by Frédéric Chopin, arranged for solo flute and bass instrument

This somewhat neglected nocturne has a rhythmic freedom that came to characterize Chopin's later work. The bass consists of an unbroken sequence of eighth notes in simple arpeggios throughout the entire piece, while the melody moves with freedom in patterns of eleven, twenty, and twenty-two notes. The opening section moves into a contrasting middle section, which flows back to the opening material in a transitional passage where the melody floats above seventeen consecutive bars of D-flat major chords. The reprise of the first section grows out of this, and the nocturne concludes peacefully with a so-called Picardy third: a major chord of the tonic at the end of a minor-key section.

Thanks to Luca for suggesting this piece!