In the Hands
Paul Cantrell’s music
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Piano music old and new from a devoted amateur,
all free to listen to, download, and share.

Chopin Nocturne 55.1

You probably were all wondering when I’d get to some Chopin, no? Well, wonder no longer! Voici!

This piece is a subtle, spare thing, and its spareness makes it much more difficult than it sounds. Listening to this recording again, I think I could play some sections better now; perhaps I’ll record it again in the future. A really fine piece of music is a lifelong exploration, so I’m certainly not opposed to posting new versions of pieces I’ve already recorded! Still, this recording is decent — the idea of the music certainly comes across, and people do seem to enjoy this version.

Nocturne Op 55 No 1 (in F minor)

My favorite moment of many favorites in the piece: the magical chromatic spiral toward the end (it begins at 4:25 in this recording). It was a delight picking that apart one note at a time, figuring out how Chopin put it together — then feeling it sinking comfortably into muscle memory, the ears and the fingers an organic living whole. I marvel at Chopin, and playing his music is humbling — but the wonderful thing about being a musician is that I get to make it my own all the same. (If any of you out there let out a longing sigh as you read that: it’s never too late to start (or restart) piano lessons!)

Comments

Nick Weininger

With a postscript like that how could I not comment?

Beautifully restrained and poised, Paul. And this recording, even more than the others, impresses me with the evident balance and sensitivity of your recording apparatus; rarely indeed, for example, does one hear the left hand so cleanly reproduced, without a hint of fuzz. Lovely.

Nick Weininger
Steven Murray

I am learning this piece myself- and it is such a beautiful piece. This is the third recording I have heard of it, and the other two were quite similar to eachother. But your recording was quite different- much slower to open (perhaps a little too slow- while theirs was a little too fast i think) and the two handed octave part they played much too fast- while yours was more restrained and I could feel the music much more. The other two played the triplet section very fast- in much of a show off style i thought, but i liked how you played it (though it could have bee a little faster). Overall i really did love your recording- and i love this piece.

Steven Murray
Paul

Thanks for your comments, Steven – especially for being brave enough to say what you didn’t like! I actually tend to agree with you on the triplet section. Also, I’m not satisfied with my voicings there. No piece is ever really finished!

I hope you’ll keep coming back to listen, and maybe I’ll get to hear your version one day too.

Paul
Nidhin

I prefer to get the examples of pieces of Etude,Prelude,Fantasia,nocturne…etc with music sheet and song file.

Nidhin
Blue

I love this piece. I’ve been looking for it. Did you ever see the movie, The Inheritance? She plays this song…possibly a simpler version. But it’s so beautiful.
Thanks

Blue
Nicholas Weininger

You made my evening; the remastering is noticeably better balanced and richer. Many thanks.

Nicholas Weininger
Ryko

Keep on going Paul. Your a genius. *clapclap*

Ryko
Kristy

Hi,
i accidentally found your website from : http://www.classiccat.net/chopin_f/28.htm

I was just looking for some Chopin’s music to listen. Honestly, i really like your blog. Your thoughts and your recordings.
You’ve brought musical joy to lots of people!!!!

Kristy
Joel Rosenberger

I saw your comments on my blog, Paul. Thanks for stopping by, and also for making these fine renditions available to everyone. I appreciate the music and the commentary.

I agree that it’s never too late to start piano lessons… with some basic practical theory to serve as a foundation, I think anyone can use the piano as an effective means of expression.

Joel Rosenberger
Piano by Joel

http://joelcast.blogspot.com

Joel Rosenberger
Heather

Nice expression, but a little plodding in sections… I really liked it when you moved ahead though ;o) You have a nice rich tone and a good feel for Chopin. oooo, I just got to the sparkling bit, vereh nice.

This posting recordings on a blog is cool, I’ll have to get into blogging if only to do that :oD Although, first I need to record something other than “Anakin’s Theme” from the Phantom Menace, lol! If I ever get my own Chopin nocturne up I’ll drop you a line :o)~

Heather
Kyle

MORE CHOPIN!

Kyle
Dan Goodman

Enjoyed your Chopin Fminor Nocturne - at first not clear that it was going anywhere and perhaps a bit too much left hand, but the piu moss section was clear and moved forward nicely. I’m working through all the Nocturnes and just performed Op 48 No.1 - Any thoughts on the proper relationship between the doppio movimento section and the Lento? Arrau does the section almost exactly 2x faster which I find impossible.

Hearing your blog - I may put one online too.

Dan Goodman

Dan Goodman
susan

Ah… that nocturne is one that I have been working on for the last 2 years… I get so far…then walk away– it’s so close, and yet it elludes me. I agree about that sublime ending, all I can muster is: Aaahhhh.
:) Susan

Lufamux

>Nice expression, but a little plodding in sections…

??

Diego

Well let me tell you !!this is one of my most exciting web discoveries I´ve ever made on music!! but first my presentation……I am kind of newbie on this genre and on playing piano, recently I´ve start piano lessons (I´m kind of grown up now…)here at Argentina and sometimes seems imposible to me to imagine myself playing this beatiful Chopin pieces but your site is one hell of a motivator!!!.Great great site and great performance in that Nocturne, beatifully played…I just love the tempo & expression!!!!Can´t wait for more!!!. (Sorry for my lousy english)
Congrats.

Diego
Hunjar

Sigh…

I really do need to start learning the piano one of these days.

Hunjar
Ken

Thanks for the beautiful music.

Ken
Paul Agnidakis, Sweden

With this pray of the muses You mediate the tears of man and hopes of heaven. Thank You!

Paul Agnidakis, Sweden
irina

it is a great work of art….also my daughter, from my womb,loves it!

irina
sylvie

Merci, Paul, pour cette musique merveilleuse que vous offrez si généreusement aux amateurs de Beauté !

sylvie
Paul

Merci Sylvie, pour écouter — et aussi pour répondre en Français. Je n’avais pas assez d’opportunités de le practiquer, comme vous pouvez voir ici, sans doubt…!

Paul
Lewis Ryan

I found this site on google and just listened to you play 0p 55 no. 1 and i thought it was brilliant! well done chopin… oh and u :p how do i find your other recordings?

Lewis Ryan
Pat

I’m working my way through Op. 55 No. 1, and finding the finale especially challenging. It helps to hear it played so cleanly (I don’t find any part of your performance “plodding,” and I wonder if those who mentioned that actually play…). Your description of it as a “magical chomatic spiral” is a wonderful image to keep in mind as I pick it apart and struggle to figure out for myself how Chopin put it toegther.

I read the page about subscribing to the poscast, but can I download just a piece here and there to my iPod to inspire me as I practice?

Pat
Paul

Pat: you can download a piece by right-clicking on the “Listen” link (or control-clicking if you have a one-button mouse). In the menu that pops up, depending on which web browser you have, there will be an item labeled “Download to…” or “Save to disk” or something like that.

I’m glad you like the chromatic spiral image. That section is worth analyzing carefully: separate the right hand into two voices, and look at how little variations in repetitions and turn-taking between the voices create the seemingly complex spiral effect.

Paul
anonymous

terrible

anonymous
Gaore

This is a personal opinion: I don’t find the slower sections of this piece “plodding”, but the sudden increase in speed and dynamics is rather disturbing at the various points. Also, occasionally I find the left hand is too heavy, especially at the end, and thus drowns out the melody in the right. Other than that, this sounds okay.

Gaore
minh le

I am a novice. Yet this piece was simply beautifully played even to my simple ears. I was wondering what kind of piano you used to record this. Was it done in a sound studio enviroment?

minh le
Paul

minh: I recorded it in my home. Here is a detailed description.

Paul
Eileen

Its too poetic, too melodramatic, too romanticized! Chopin was never meant to be played like that; he’s probably spinning in his grave with your music.

Eileen
Eileen

Oh yeah, and to the people above “Anonymous”: What the heck?

Eileen
Eric

This site is a great find. Thank you for sharing your music with all the armchair critics here. “Plodding” is a rubbish critique, as is “too romantic” - Chopin never composed anything fast, and it’s a nocturne!

Anyway I am here so I can hear yet another player’s version of the “chromatic spiral”. I just described the same part to a friend as “teetering down from a high wire”. If I can transcribe it for guitar I will drop off a link here!

Eric
Chopin

Eileen, czy kiedykolwiek Was spotkalem?

Chopin
gavin elster

I too stumbled upon your site by accident. I was searching for a recording of the Deleted song entitled “One Moment Ago” from the film The 5,000 fingers of Dr T.

I found something much more enjoyable here on your site. You brought me to tears. I’ve been so wrapped up in film scores that I forgot what real music can do. Thank you.

gavin elster
anonymous

I have been playing piano just over a month now. I can now play Beethoven Moonlight Sonata (took 2 days). Can play many others, and I love this Chopin piece. Half way through it. I like this site very much and you play the piece well.

anonymous
Wau Han

What is the tempo and dynamics of this song?? And what are some instruments being used in this piece?? I am doing a project on him so I need these in information on it. Thank you.

Wau Han
Kinar

Hi, Well this is the firts time a see this page and is amazing how you can show this master pieces…I really love Chopin and Bach music….

thanks for this wonderfull melodies…!!!….

Kinar
Andrew Wynn

Paul,
you are the man! I play this piece before, but you are the master.

Andrew Wynn
Pianonewbie

Love to thing about life and satisfaction, when listen piano music…

Alex Popov

This was the first piece I learned after quitting piano for half a decade! It’s fascinating how differently we play it. Your playing is very measured, and classical I might say? I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Alex Popov