The Nocturne in B major is initially marked andante sostenuto and is in 4/4 meter. There are several ritardando markings throughout, followed by a tempo marking in the next measure, such as in measure 7, 8,17 and 18. The piece transitions to adagio in the last two measures, starting in measure 64. The piece is 65 measures long and, unusually, ends in the tonic minor key, B minor, although some editions (such as those by Rafael Joseffy as well as Chopin's student Carl Mikuli ) and performances (such as that by Arthur Rubinstein ) end with a B major chord, which has the effect of a Picardy third in the context of the minor-mode coda. There has also been confusion over a key in the first bar of the last line: Theodor Kullak and Karl Klindworth use a G, while Julian Fontana used an F-sharp.
Tempo | Lento |
Date of composition | 1837 (1836-1837) |
First published | 1837 |
Type | Nocturne |
Tonality | A-flat Major |
Catalogue | Op. 32 |
Instruments | Piano |
Autotranslations beta |
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne n°2 en la bémol majeur, Op. 32 Fryderyk Chopin: Notturno n. 2 in la bemolle maggiore, Op. 32 Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne Nr. 2 As-dur, Op. 32 |