At the beginning of the 19th century the Irish composer John Field and his contemporaries kneaded the nocturne into a more or less delineated genre. Mood-pictures, lyrical melodies, wide arpeggio chords evoking the harp: all those elements contributed to the creation of a nocturnal sphere. Moreover the emotional and dramatic import of the nocturne was enhanced by the intensive use of the piano pedal. The genre reached a climax in the virtuoso hands of Frédéric Chopin, and under his influence became an essential part of the romantic music repertoire. On the occasion of the Chopin Year ‘ami d’AMUZ’ Claire Chevallier takes two top instruments from her private collection to our venue, an original Erard from 1842 and a copy of a Pleyel from1843. In the period sound boxes of these instruments the brilliant nocturnes of the Polish master will regain their haven!

Performers
Claire Chevallier, piano

Programme
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturnes, opus 9 nrs. 1, 2, 3 – Nocturnes, opus 15 nrs. 2, 3 – Nocturne, opus 27 nr. 1 – Scherzo, opus 31 nr. 2 – Polonaise-fantaisie, opus 61