ChopinNocturnes

Nocturne in E♭ major

Op. 9 No. 2

The cadenza before the end sits on a single chord, B♭⁷, which resolves to E♭ only after it.

34 bars12/8Andante4-page PDFLevel 5 of 8

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Form

A1–4
A′5–8
B9–12
A″13–16
B′17–20
A‴21–24
C25–28
C′29–31
Coda32–34

A themeA′ theme, ornamentedB from V back to IA″ theme, third timeB′ B againA‴ theme, last timeC A♭ minor and E♭C′ C again, turning asideCoda cadenza on V⁷, then I

Opening, bars 1–4 · E♭ major

bar 1E♭ID°7vii°⁷E♭I
bar 2C7V⁷/iiE°7vii°⁷/iiFmii
bar 3B♭7V⁷G7V⁷/viCmviA°7vii°⁷/V
bar 4B♭7V⁷E♭I

Section by section

A (1–4): the theme

Bar 1 is I, then D°⁷ (vii°⁷), then I. Bar 2 heads for F minor (ii) through its own dominant, C⁷, and bar 4 closes V⁷ to I. The theme returns three more times over nearly the same chords.

B (9–12): a chromatic slide home

F major (V/V) moves to A♭ major and A♭ minor instead of B♭. Bar 12 ends with one chord per eighth, B♭, B⁷, E, C⁷, F⁷, B♭⁷, sliding into E♭.

C and C′ (25–31): A♭ minor and E♭

A♭ minor (iv, borrowed from E♭ minor) alternates with E♭. Bar 28 closes the phrase: B♭⁷sus, B♭⁷, E♭. Bar 31 turns aside to G⁷ and C minor instead.

Coda (32–34): one chord under the cadenza

Chopin's left hand spells B♭⁷ once and stops under the run. B♭⁷ resolves to E♭ at bar 33, held to the end: one V⁷ to I cadence over three bars.

The PDF includes a full page of analysis.

Page 1 of the study edition of Nocturne in E♭ major, Op. 9 No. 2
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