Frederick Chopin composed most of his nocturnes in groups of two or three pieces. The pair that comprises his Opus 27 dates from 1835.
The second of these works, in D-flat major, provides a good example of Chopin’s conception of the gems. It features a gentle, song- like melody that unfolds over an accompaniment whose steady rhythmic pulse runs unbroken from the first moments to the last.
Although an almost magical delicacy prevails, Chopin provides some contrast through a turn to dark minor-key harmonies and more impassioned sections during the central portion of the work. Several glittering keyboard flourishes, a typically Chopin gesture, ornament the return of the melody toward the close.
Here is pianist Evgeny Kissin to play for you:
