A busy left hand can easily break the dreamy atmosphere of Chopin's Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2. Claire Huangci shows how to choreograph its movement so it supports the melody instead of competing with it.
One hallmark of Chopin's genius was his ability to write simple, memorable melodies within intricate compositional designs. In other words, he's one of the rare composers to strike a balance between popular styles and high art forms. His Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9 No. 2 typifies this. As Claire Huangci demonstrates, this piece is rightfully famous for its dreamy atmosphere and yearning lyricism. The challenge is to control the polyphony of the left hand in an effortless way that supports the singing voice in the right hand. Huangci first offers techniques for choreographing the left hand, then both hands together, and demonstrates interpretive possibilities within the ornamented repetitions of the theme. The final section presents specific technical and expressive challenges, each of which Huangci addresses in turn.
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