UCLA

The nineteenth-century Nocturne is widely understood as an intimate form of salon setting, with characteristic pianistic writing of right-hand melody and left-hand accompaniment. This view of the nocturne is informed by scholarship on the genre since the beginning of the twentieth century. Although numerous composers have written nocturnes, current understandings of the genre are based largely on research surrounding Fr�d�ric Chopin and John Field. Similarly, recordings and live performances follow the same trend, rarely showcasing works outside of the canon of these two composers, thus leaving us with an important question: how may a study of nocturnes by other composers—specifically women composers—inform our understanding of this genre that has been idealized as a “feminine” form (Kallberg)?

My research examines eight nocturnes composed by five women: Maria Szymanowska, Leopoldine Blahetka, Louise Farrenc, Clara Wieck, and Fanny Hensel. While these works hold clear connections to compositional techniques of Field and Chopin, I argue that the eight nocturnes disrupt current understandings of the genre. The analysis of these nocturnes offers a new perspective on this form: from Szymanowska’s intriguing Nocturne “Le Murmure” for three hands—the only such example in the genre, to Blahetka’s virtuosic Nocturnes op. 46, with innovative hybrid forms—the polonaise-nocturne and the concerto-nocturne.

The unusual textures, hybrid forms, and the virtuosic demands found in these works, suggest a much greater variety in nocturne compositional style during the nineteenth century. Further, they give insight to the compositional styles and approaches of female composers and pianists in the face of gendered criticism and expectations. These nocturnes by female composers defy the ideal of the “feminine” with which nocturnes are often associated, an ideal that purports that women’s music is more intimate than public-facing concerti and symphonies, fit for private salon consumption exclusively. These nocturnes not only expand the genre, but also challenge the “intimate” style of playing with which nocturne is often associated.