ABSTRACT
My analysis of the two Op. 27 nocturnes grew out of my instinct (when performing these two pieces) that the connections between them range far deeper than their foreground similarities. Having read Jeffrey Kallberg’s article on ‘Compatibility in Chopin’s Multipartite Publications’ in which he refers to issues such as tonality and closure, I decided to investigate the possible existence of fundamental connections within this opus. 1 The analytical method of this book shows relationships between the individual pieces of Op. 27 that will concern performers as well as analysts. 2 Examining the rhythmic implications of a Schenkerian analysis that focuses on the details (as well as the deep structure) of these pieces reveals these deeper connections in a way that may be particularly relevant to performance. After noting interesting foreground similarities between the two pieces, the analysis looks at the connection from the first nocturne into the second. Finally, it focuses on the premises that are set up in the first piece and how they develop throughout both works. As we will see, some of these premises do not fully conclude in the first nocturne, and are more deeply explored and finally resolved in the second.
