Nocturne in G Minor

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Nocturne in G minor (Opus 15, No. 3) is a nocturne written by Frédéric Chopin. The piece begins with a slow lento tempo and is written in 3/4 time. The right hand part is composed of simple eighth and quarter note patterns, followed by a chromatic rise and fall. The left hand part maintains eighth note patters to support the right hand, with pedal marks every six notes. The ending part of the piece is marked religioso and uses legato chords in the left hand part. The piece also has incredible dynamic contrast, ranging from fortissimo to pianissimo (see Dynamics).

The piece departs from the ternary form usual in a Chopin nocturne. The concluding section is not only unrelated thematically to the opening one, it is even in a different key (F Major). The piece only returns to g minor in the concluding four measures, though the final chord is major, as is usual in a Chopin nocturne.

[edit] Performance

The piece is one of Chopin's most famous nocturnes, and its playability has made it a favourite amongst students and masters alike. Both Anton Rubinstein and Arthur Rubenstein are acclaimed performers of this piece.