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The short answer
Nocturne No. 5 in B-flat major, H. 37 is a nocturne by John Field from the Romantic era. PlayPiano puts it at Level 6, an estimate.
- nocturne
- Romantic
- dreamy
History
John Field's B-flat-major Nocturne H. 37 is commonly numbered No. 5. A catalogue records its publication in St Petersburg in 1817; that is a print date, not a documented composition year. Its Cantabile marking invites a singing melody over a quieter accompaniment.
Sources
What to listen for
Long calls receive singing answers
Upper held calls answer one another above rolling figures. Follow the longer melody through its small ornaments.
Chromatic detached notes change the texture
The first staccato episode clips the upper line over repeated lower chords. Compare its short articulation with the held song.
Changed calls lead to another detached episode
Longer responses return before chromatic short notes recur. Hear the contrast in their lengths.
Thicker chord replies reach a low close
Detached chordal answers lead to a slower arpeggiated ending and rests. Hear their short attacks yield to the last sustained sound.
How to practise it
Long melody followed by silence; rolling lower eighths.
- Count the melody across its tie, then release into the written silence.
- Practise the pattern softly in small register groups before combining it with the held melody.
How hard is it
A lyrical nocturne requires sustained melodic shaping above balanced accompaniment, flexible pacing and sensitive control of ornamental gestures.
About this piece
- Collection
- Night music
- Licence
- Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
- Source
- mutopiaproject.org
- Credit
- “Nocturne” by J. Field (1782 to 1837). Mutopia edition maintained by Alex Schreiber. Source: https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=2137. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. Changes to the supplied file: none; any later conversion or edit must be disclosed separately.
