Notes from pianist Dr. Duane Hulbert:
Chopin's 19th Nocturne was the only one published after the composers death; in fact, some scholars suggest it might have been completed by another composer.
Here are some guides to help you listen to in this beautiful, albeit it melancholic, late work.
(0:01) The mood is set from the beginning with a dark rolling triplet pattern in the left hand, soon followed by a beautiful melodic right hand theme at (0:05).
After a short bridge section, the melody reappears in octaves in the right hand as the drama builds at (0:39).
A surprising shift to the major key of B major offers some optimism at (1:29), but the dark brooding E minor theme returns with heartfelt fervor at (2:07).
Listen for the sweeping 32nd note scales at (2:18) that ramp up the intensity even more.
The climax of the Nocturne occurs at (2:43) ), where the main theme marked Forte is heard with powerful octaves.
After this climax eases down to a "piano" dynamic level, the closing theme in the key of E major gently ends this exquisite work (3:17)."
Dr. Hulbert received his BA and MM from The Juilliard School of Music and his DMA from The Manhattan School of Music. Hulbert received the Gold Medal at the 1980 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, and also won prizes in the 1981 Leeds Competition and 1985 Carnegie Hall International American Music Competition. He has performed as a soloist with symphonies across the United States and has given recitals at Merkin Hall in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and Benaroya Hall in Seattle. In 2002, his recording of the piano works of late-romantic Russian composer Alexander Glazunov was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Solo Instrumental Recording. David Hurwitz of ClassicsToday.com called the CD “a production that makes the best possible case for this really excellent but sadly neglected repertoire.” Dr. Hulbert taught at the university level for over thirty years.
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