Nocturnes for One (Chopin)

Composed between 1827–1846 and considered among some of the finest works for solo piano ever written, Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturnes remain widely-performed today, easily distinguishable by his innovative use of counterpoint rhythms and dramatically emotional melodies. Arranged for solo marimba, the warm timbre of the instrument truly lends itself to the melancholy nature of the music and offers an opportunity for vast expression of emotion during performance.

Program Notes

Composed between 1827–1846 and considered among some of the finest works for solo piano ever written, Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturnes remain widely-performed today, easily distinguishable by his innovative use of counterpoint rhythms and dramatically emotional melodies. Arranged for solo marimba, the warm timbre of the instrument truly lends itself to the melancholy nature of the music and offers an opportunity for vast expression of emotion during performance.

The performer is encouraged to play with tempo and dynamics a great deal throughout the piece at his or her discretion. Despite the general lack of notation found in Chopin’s music for it, he was famous for his liberal use of rubato, and his music was composed to accommodate appropriate amounts of flux in tempo. The rolled sections also present an opportunity for swells in dynamics more marked and much smoother than what might be conceivable for piano.

The performer is also encouraged to take advantage of the sticking patterns notated, particularly in the left hand. While it may seem awkward or unnecessary at first glance, maintaining the arpeggiated ostinato patterns in the left hand without incorporating the #3 mallet allows for a much more fluid and connected pattern of movement for the melody in the right hand.

Grade Level: 4
Copyright: 2013
Number of Players: 1
Duration: 27:00 total

Listen to Recordings

Sample PDF

Instrumentation

Marimba (5-octave)