Nocturnes
The Nocturne – inspired by or evocative of the evening and night-time – first appeared in the eighteenth century and referred to pieces written for string ensemble to be performed at an evening party. At this time, it was not necessarily a piece evocative of night-time but simply music to be played in the evening, Mozart's 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' being the most famous example.
Read more…- Chopin • Nocturnes op. 9 B. 54 • 1. Nocturne in B flat minor. Larghetto
- Mendelssohn Bartholdy • A Midsummer Night's Dream, Incidental Music op. 61 MWV M 13 • Incidental Music op. 61 • No. 7 Notturno. Andante tranquilloA Midsummer Night's Dream, Incidental Music op. 61 MWV M 13
Incidental Music op. 61 • No. 7 Notturno. Andante tranquilloRhian Lois (Soprano), Keri Fuge (Soprano), Edward Gardner
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Youth ChorusJuly 2015, Birmingham, Town Hall - Bloch • Nocturnes for Piano Trio (1924) • 1. AndanteNocturnes for Piano Trio (1924)
1. AndanteTrio con Brio Copenhagen
Soo-Kyung Hong (Violoncello), Soo-Jin Hong (Violin), Jens Elvekjær (Piano)℗ 2007 - Bloch • Nocturnes for Piano Trio (1924) • 2. Andante quietoNocturnes for Piano Trio (1924)
2. Andante quietoTrio con Brio Copenhagen
Soo-Kyung Hong (Violoncello), Soo-Jin Hong (Violin), Jens Elvekjær (Piano)℗ 2007 - Bloch • Nocturnes for Piano Trio (1924) • 3. TempestosoNocturnes for Piano Trio (1924)
3. TempestosoTrio con Brio Copenhagen
Soo-Kyung Hong (Violoncello), Soo-Jin Hong (Violin), Jens Elvekjær (Piano)℗ 2007 - Sculthorpe • Nocturnal (1989)
- Schubert • Notturno for Violin, Violoncello and Piano in E flat major op. posth. 148 D 897 • AdagioNotturno for Violin, Violoncello and Piano in E flat major op. posth. 148 D 897
AdagioSascha Maisky (Violin), Mischa Maisky (Violoncello), Lily Maisky (Piano)℗ 2018 - Liszt • En Rêve. Nocturne S 207 • En Rêve. NocturneEn Rêve. Nocturne S 207
En Rêve. NocturneLucille Chung (Piano)April 2017, Essex, Saffron Hall, Saffron Waldon - Strauss • Größere Gesänge op. 44 TrV 197 • 1. NotturnoGrößere Gesänge op. 44 TrV 197
1. NotturnoLinda Finnie (Mezzo-soprano), Edwin Paling (Violin), Neeme Järvi
Royal Scottish National OrchestraOctober 1991, Dundee, The Caird Hall - Rautavaara • Notturno e danza (1993) • NotturnoNotturno e danza (1993)
NotturnoPekka Kuusisto (Violin), Paavali Jumppanen (Piano)2010, Espoo, Sello Hall - Britten • Night Piece (Notturno) for Piano (1963)Night Piece (Notturno) for Piano (1963)Stephen Hough (Piano)June 1990, Manchester, Studio 7, New Broadcasting House
- Szymanowski • Nocturne and Tarantella for Violin and Piano op. 28 (1915) • 1. Notturno. Lento assai – Allegretto scherzando – LargoNocturne and Tarantella for Violin and Piano op. 28 (1915)
1. Notturno. Lento assai – Allegretto scherzando – LargoTasmin Little (Violin), Piers Lane (Piano)April 2016, Dunwich, Potton Hall - Field • Nocturne No. 12 in G major H 58 • LentoNocturne No. 12 in G major H 58
LentoBenjamin Frith (Piano)1995, Hampshire, St Martin's Church, East Woodhay - Dvořák • Nocturne for String Orchestra in B major op. 40 B 47Nocturne for String Orchestra in B major op. 40 B 47Iván Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra℗ 2000
- Tchaikovsky • Morceaux op. 19 TH 133: 4. Nocturne (Version for Violoncello and Orchestra) • AndanteMorceaux op. 19 TH 133: 4. Nocturne (Version for Violoncello and Orchestra)
AndanteJamie Walton (Violoncello), Okko Kamu
Royal Philharmonic OrchestraMarch 2013, London, Cadogan Hall London - Mozart • Serenade No. 13 in G major KV 525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” • II. Romance. AndanteSerenade No. 13 in G major KV 525
II. Romance. AndanteIona Brown, Academy of St Martin in the Fields℗ 2003 - Schubert • Nacht und Träume op. 43/2 D 827 • Heil'ge Nacht, du sinkest nieder!Nacht und Träume op. 43/2 D 827
Heil'ge Nacht, du sinkest nieder!Julius Drake (Piano), Ian Bostridge (Tenor)1996, London, Studio One, Abbey Road - Chopin • Nocturnes op. 62 B. 161 • 1. Nocturne in B major. Andante
- Panufnik • Nocturne for Orchestra (1947) • NocturneNocturne for Orchestra (1947)
NocturneŁukasz Borowicz, Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra2008, Warsaw, Polish Radio, W. Lutoslawski Studio, Warsaw - Respighi • Sei pezzi P 044: 3. NotturnoSei pezzi P 044: 3. NotturnoGleb Ivanov (Piano)September 2014, Saint Petersburg, Petersburg Recording Studio
- Debussy • Nocturnes L 98 (91) • 1. Nuages. Modéré – Un peu animé – Tempo I – Plus lent – Encore plus lentNocturnes L 98 (91)
1. Nuages. Modéré – Un peu animé – Tempo I – Plus lent – Encore plus lentEmmanuel Krivine, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Chœur de chambre Accentus2009 - 2010, Luxembourg, Philharmonie Luxembourg - Bartók • Szabadban (Out of Doors) BB 89 Sz. 81 (1926) • 4. Az éjszaka zenéje (The Night's Music)Szabadban (Out of Doors) BB 89 Sz. 81 (1926)
4. Az éjszaka zenéje (The Night's Music)Dénes Várjon (Piano)℗ 2018 - Feilmair • Notturno (2007) • lento molto espressivo - poco animato
- Barber • Songs op. 13 (1937-1940) (Arr. for Voice and Orchestra) • 3. Sure on this shining nightSongs op. 13 (1937-1940) (Arr. for Voice and Orchestra)
3. Sure on this shining nightBarbara Hendricks (Soprano), Michael Tilson Thomas
London Symphony Orchestra℗ 1995 - Holst • A Song of the Night op. 19/1 H. 74 (1905)A Song of the Night op. 19/1 H. 74 (1905)Tasmin Little (Violin), Sir Andrew Davis
BBC PhilharmonicMay 2013, Salford, MediaCity UK - Schubert • Winterreise op. 89 D 911 • 1. Gute Nacht
- Poulenc • Napoli FP 40 • 2. Nocturne (Lent)
- Schumann • Die gute Nacht, die ich dir sageDie gute Nacht, die ich dir sageKatie Bray (Soprano), Sholto Kynoch (Piano)January 2016, Oxford, St John the Evangelist Iffley Road, Oxford
- Liszt • Album d'un voyageur S 156 • Book I "Impressions et poésies" • 3. Les Cloches de G(eneve)Album d'un voyageur S 156
Book I "Impressions et poésies" • 3. Les Cloches de G(eneve)Ashley Wass (Piano)March 2009, West Sussex - Schubert • Du bist die Ruh op. 59/3 D 776 • Du bist die Ruh, der Friede mildDu bist die Ruh op. 59/3 D 776
Du bist die Ruh, der Friede mildBernarda Fink (Mezzo-soprano), Gerold Huber (Piano)℗ 2008
In the early nineteenth century the term "Nocturne" became specifically associated with a short work for solo piano and the Irish composer John Field is credited with "inventing" the Nocturne in the form we know it now: a 'cantabile' ("singing") melody over an arpeggiated or guitar-like bass, free in form, full of reverie and tenderness, and rather languid in character. Frédéric Chopin took the genre to new heights of structure, expression and beauty, embroidering his own unique musical personality on Field's template.
But writing in this genre is not confined to the piano. Schubert's 'Notturno' D897, scored for piano trio, is a study in contemplative ecstasy with a mesmerising sustained melody, and a number of his Lieder take the evening and night time as their inspiration. There are Nocturnes for violin, string quartet, orchestra, voice and more, and as this playlist reveals composers took delight in the form to create music of striking expression and variety.
Twentieth-century and contemporary composers use the genre to depict the more unsettling or mysterious aspects of night-time, as in Bartók's "The Night’s Music" from 'Out of Doors', or Britten's evocative 'Notturno' (Night Piece). This work actually harks back to Chopin in its structure – outer parts with a lyrical melody over a gentle moving bass line and a middle section of greater drama – yet is also very much of its own time.