Nocturne

The nocturne is a short, lyrical work for solo piano, named for the night and characterized by a singing, ornate melody over a gently rocking accompaniment. *John Field* originated the form in the early nineteenth century; *Frédéric Chopin*'s twenty-one nocturnes deepened its harmonic language and emotional range and remain its center. Composers including *Gabriel Fauré* and Scriabin extended the genre, while pianists such as *Arthur Rubinstein*, *Claudio Arrau* and *Maria João Pires* have made complete Chopin nocturne cycles a standard measure of pianistic artistry.