The Nocturnes

​Frederic Chopin wrotes 21 Nocturnes between 1827 and 1846. Although the nocturnes were created by the Irish composer John Field, Chopin popularised and developed them. Now, they are considered to be the finest solo music for piano. Two, the Op. 9 No. 2 in E-flat major and the Op. 27 No. 2 in D-flat major are the most popular in concert repertoire. Nos. 19 and 20, published posthumously, were completed first, while No. 21 was originally not entitled as a nocturne, but had been included since its publication in 1938. The Nocturnes free flowing rhythm with its dramatic tone distinguish them as a classical-cum-romantic genre within the musical world at the time. Later, several composers followed Chopin, writing keyboard nocturnes; namely, Samuel Barber, Georges Bizet, Lowell Liebermann, Francis Poulenc, Erik Satie, Alexander Scriabin and Sergei Rachmaniniv.
 
A list of albums here to start you off:
Chopin Nocturnes, Arthur Rubinstein. Label: RCA.
 
Chopin Nocturnes, Stephen Hough. Label: Hyperion.
 
Chopin The Nocturnes, Maria Joao Pires. Label: Deutsche Grammophon.
 
Chopin The Nocturnes, Nelson Freire. Label: Decca.

Reference: Avideep, D., Chakraboty, S., (2024), Learn About a Collection of “Nocturnes” by Frederic Chopin, Galaxy Music Notes. https://galaxymusicnotes.com/pages/learn-about-a-collection-of-nocturnes-by-frederic-chopin