Chris Teeters Dr. Planer April 13, 2010

Dr. Planer

April 13, 2010

Nocturne in D Flat Major

When one analyzes Frederikc Chopin’s Nocturne in D Flat Major (Op. 27 No. 2), it is obvious based upon its chord structure that it is from the Romantic Era. It is noteworthy that the composition loses its tonal center in the middle of the piece. Chopin weakens the tonal center by utilizing the augmented sixth, secondary dominants, and secondary leading tones, which transfer the tonal center to a new pitch. However, later in the composition, he avoids losing the tonal center by utilizing the suspended D.

The form of Chopin’s Nocturne is a rondo, which is when an A section returns. The reoccurring theme or theme A returns three times. The theme initially appears in measures one through nine, reoccurs in measures 26 through 32, and measures 46 through 50.

Measure Key Comments

1 D Flat Major Theme A is made of chords that are easily identified as D Flat Major.

10 b flat minor Dominant and tonic chords are predominant.

14 E Flat Major Dominant and tonic chords are predominant.

17 B double Flat Major It includes continual secondary dominants and

leading tones, as well as modulates to A Major and E Flat Major.

26 D Flat Major Theme A is identical to the one found in measure one.

34 A Major Dominant and tonic chords are predominant.

46 D Flat Major It contains a constant tonic D Flat Major chord and is theme A’.
Measure Key Comments

53 e flat minor Prominent leading tones, as well as dominant and tonic chords are utilized.

58 D Flat Major The chords are predominantly dominant and

tonic with secondary leading tones appearing in measures 62 through 68 which is the coda.

One of the ways that Chopin weakens the tonal center is by the introduction of the secondary dominants and leading tones in measures 18 through 24. He begins the section in B double Flat Major, but introduces leading tones and diminished chords so that the B double Flat is not recognized as the tonic. Then, he modulates to A Major in measure 23 only to modulate back to D Flat Major in measure 25. These chords do not appear to have any common thread other than the fact that E Flat is the subdominant of B double Flat.

Chopin also inserts an augmented sixth chord into Nocturne which naturally resolves to the dominant chord. The augmented sixth chord can be found on the down beats of measures 8 and 32. This is an Italian augmented sixth chord built on B double Flat and resolves to A Flat, the dominant.

When analyzing measures 62 through 68, the presence of a chain of secondary leading tones is noted with one interesting twist. Usually, when a chain of secondary leading tones is utilized, the composition’s tonal center will be weakened, but in this case that does not occur. There is a suspended D in every measure. This suspension of the D maintains the tonal center of the piece and allows it to return to D Flat Major with ease at measure 69.

When it comes to the rhythm of the piece, it is ultimately complex. The left hand has a constant sixteenth note pulse, which is not too complex. However, the introduction of the right hand adds the complexity. Chopin introduces triplets to the piece in measure 11 and 12 that contrast with the sixteenth note pulse. To further add complexity, forty-eighth notes appear in measure 52. This rhythm is not easily played by a musician even at a slow tempo. This is especially difficult when complicated by the fact that the musician has to play an octave higher in this measure and then immediately return to the original octave in measure 53.