Frédéric Chopin
Nocturne 13
in C Minor, Op. 48 No. 1
Beginning in a mood of profound tragedy, this challenging Nocturne builds to powerful and passionate climaxes.
Year: 1842
Period: Early Romantic
Piano score: PS Urtext 
Audiovisual Study Tool
A Ballade in miniature
The famous Nocturne in c minor Op. 48 no. 1 is perhaps the grandest in scope of all the Nocturnes. More akin to a Ballade in miniature than a Nocturne, it builds its narrative on three main episodes. Beginning in a mood of profound tragedy, it presents a lonely cantilena, marked mezza voce, over a slow, funereal accompaniment. The second episode features a new theme in C major, built on consoling, chorale-like chords. The chords expand and become arpeggiated, and rising octaves interject with increasing insistence, building to a powerful climax. In the final episode, the opening material returns in a passionate re-exposition, now marked doppio movimento (twice as fast) and underlined by rapidly repeating chords. The piece ends with a diminuendo, finally stopping on three muffled chords, like the tolling of a distant bell.
The c minor Nocturne is one of the more technically difficult Nocturnes. The octave passages in the middle section, while not of Lisztian difficulty, are challenging, and the final episode requires a well-developed chord technique with good control over voicing.
Background
The two Nocturnes Op. 48 were written in 1841 and published in 1842.Forum posts about this piece:
Rach concerto 2 by zephylx
Hello, i got a question. I just finished Chopin nocturne op 48 no 1 and i want to play rachs concerto 2 with string quartet, just the first mvt. Do you think i can play it? or is it much harder. Thanks for...
Chopin - Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1 by tox1234
Hello, this nocturne is my favorite piece and I would like to know if I could play it in my level. For refrence: I have played Fantaisie impromptu, nocturne op 9 no 2, nocturne in c sharp minor, waltz op...
Chopin Nocturne Op 48 No.1 - should I play this? by lucasejp
I'm looking for my next piece, ideally it should not take me too long to learn. For context I am a grade 8 ABRSM level player and some of the pieces I have played include: Rachmaninoff g minor Prelude +...
Chopin Nocturne in C minor Op 48 no 1 by emilia
Hi. I'm currently learning Chopin's Nocturne in C minor. I'm having trouble working out the exact timing of the broken chords in the 'B' section. Do they have specific note values that they...
Chopin Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1 in C Minor by winsto7
Hey! I just wanted to get opinions on the Chopin Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1 in C Minor. Is it a piece that you guys suggest I...
What do you learn by studying and playing Chopin's Etude op 10 no 3 "Tristesse"? by faa2010
Hi, I am learning Chopin's Etude op 10 no 3 since September (or July, I just can't remember when I began because I was also keeping for October Chopin's Nocturne op 48 no 1 and I have...
Chopin or Tchaikovsky? by faa2010
Both pieces are wonderful, but I want to know which one is more difficult, technically speaking? Chopin's Nocturne op 48 no 1 or Tchaikovsky's Romance, Op.5
Learning Chopin Nocturne or Etude by thepianolad
I’ve been playing piano for quite a while now (9 years) and I want to improve my repertoire by an Etude or a harder Nocturne. The two that I would really love to learn are the opus 10 no 3 Etude, and the op...
Chopin Nocturne op 48 no 1, taking off keys or arpeggios? by faa2010
'Hello, I am starting to learn the Nocturne op 48 no 1. The first part I can handle my fingers extension, although in come chords I need' to do some arpeggios. My finger extension is of one...
LRSM pieces? by elis_piano
hi there, could you guys help me to choose a lrsm romantic piece by Chopin or Liszt? Just suggest something except the Chopin ballades. Also I have a teacher but I want opinions so If you can just help me...
Practice Techniques for certain Repertoire? Should I 'relearn' music? by cheeriosok
Hello, I am a new poster and it took me weeks to figure out how to be a part of this forum as a silver member haha. About myself, I've started playing piano about three years ago...
Henle's difficulty levels & la campanella by elis_piano
Which level do you think La campanella is according to Henle's difficulty levels? My repertoire is: Chopin: nocturne op 48 n 1, etudes: op 10 n 12 & op 25 11, 12, 1, 7, fantaisie-impromptu,...
tips for chopin op 48 no 1 and op 10 no 4? by koakova
I'm playing Chopin Nocturne Op 48 No 1 and Chopin Etude Op 10 No 4, both of which I've heard are not very easy. I'm 14, and have been playing piano since I was 7. I've played...
University of Toronto Performance Program Audition Rep. by luch
Hi, this is my first time posting here so please forgive me for doing anything wrong. I'm aiming to audition for U of T's performance program and am currently studying with a professor who...
Chopin: Nocturne, op. 48/1 - Doppio movimento left hand by marijn1999
Hi guys, Today I started practicing two new pieces, one of which contains three movements (Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1, I'm gonna perform that with a local youth orchestra here in Amsterdam)....
chopin's nocturne in C minor, op. 48 by didi100
I've played piano for many years and am considered advanced, however, I'm having lots of difficulty with this piece and was wondering if others are encountering the same problem, even breaking down...
Members who like this piece have also downloaded:
Nocturne in C Minor - Op. 48 No. 1 is a piece by the early romantic composer Frédéric Chopin.
The composition was first published in 1842 and is included in Nocturnes by Chopin.