Nocturnes, Op. 37 (Chopin)

The nocturne in G minor is initially marked as andante sostenuto and is in meter. In measure 41, the key changes to E major and returns to G minor in measure 67. The piece is a total of 91 measures long, ending with a Picardy third, and is in ternary form. James Friskin commented that the nocturne is "one of the simpler nocturnes" and is similar to the Nocturne in G minor, Op. 15, No. 3 in that it "has similar legato chord passages in the contrasting section" though this nocturne "has a more ornamental melodic line". Dubal also agreed that the nocturne is "of lesser importance." Critics, however, have often pointed to the potential allusion to religion in the middle section. Maurycy Karasowski commented that the middle section has "a church-like atmosphere in chords." Johnson also thought the chords to be "chorale-like" and commented that "some biographers have felt that this music represented Chopin's faith in the consoling power of religion." == No. 2, in G major ==

The nocturne in G major is initially marked as andantino and is in meter, remaining so for all 139 measures. It is written in the style of a Venetian barcarolle, Friskin commented that the sixths "require care to get evenness of tone control." The piece has the structure A–B–A–B–A, somewhat unusual for a Chopin nocturne. The melody in thirds and sixths is similarly unusual, all other Chopin nocturnes opening with single-voice melodies. The nocturne has been acclaimed as one of the most beautiful melodies that Chopin has ever composed. Both Karasowski and Huneker agreed with this assessment; Karasowski claimed that "one can never listen [to the nocturne] without a sense of the deepest emotion and happiness," and Huneker commented that the nocturne was "painted with Chopin's most ethereal brush". Frederick Niecks also thought the piece had "a beautiful sensuousness; it is luscious, soft, rounded, and not without a certain degree of languor." To Blair Johnson, the theme is "certainly a musical embodiment of the 'less is more' doctrine." Johnson also commented that "something of the warmer Mediterranean climate crept into the composer's pen," in reference to Chopin's stay on the island of Majorca. Niecks also said that the nocturne "bewitches and unmans," pointing to the formerly popular view that Chopin's music could act as an aphrodisiac. Similarly, Louis Kentner once said, in reference to this nocturne, that the nocturnes should not "suffer critical degradation because sentimental young ladies used them, in days long gone by, to comfort their repressed libido." ==References==