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I wonder if there are any piano teacher out there who can recommend which Chopin Nocturnes to start, in terms of difficulty?

Thanks!
Confucian

Confucian,

I'm not a teacher, but I know that 15/3 in g minor is regarded as the least demanding technically.

Many students begin with one of the posthumous nocturnes—72/1 in e minor, c-sharp minor (without opus number), c minor (without opus number)—but the latter two are not included in many published collections. They are, however, available at IMSLP (as are all the others):

http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Chopin%2C_Frederic

Two more nocturnes that are relatively easy are 37/1 in g minor and 55/1 in f minor.

Steven

I second the posthumous e minor that Steven has mentioned. Op. 9/1 and 9/2 are also often chosen as first Nocturnes (9/2 was my first one, and I still love it, as most of these pieces).

I have always taught my students opus 9 no. 2 and the op. 72 in eminor first ... Not that there is an actual guideline for difficulty but generally one can tell from comparing with the other nocturnes which can be quite demanding...

pianovirus - op9 no2 was also the first nocturne I ever learned .. I actually learned it from a guitar version, which I did not know at the beginning .. The piano version was so similar ..

Op. 9 No. 2 is also the first nocturne I learned! I just finished it, in fact. I chose it because I thought it was the easiest and one of the most beautiful.

Steven, pianovirus, William, and agent3x:

Thanks for your response!

Confucian

The Chopin Nocturne Opus 9-2 is perhaps the easiest to get one’s fingers around, being largely a single note outline in both hands with dual rhythmic chords sandwiched between.

However, the elusive ideal playing of this masterpiece will take a lifetime ... perhaps two.

So which lifetime are you on, btb? Was it your first lifetime that gave you that tremendous experience tasting music in the capital of the world, London? Tell me about Eric Coates, Thomas Beecham... and John Ireland, one of the most underrated of them all?

Otherwise, I'd vote for Chopin's E minor Nocturne (Op. posth.) as being the easiest. Once you get your left hand around the stretches, the rest simply falls into place... and voila!... a most satisfying experience in playing a Chopin work from... 1827. The year Beethoven passed on? Liszt wasn't even 'there' yet.

Op 9 No 2, Op 15 No 2 and Op 72 No 1 are commonly assigned as first Chopin Nocturnes that students play with Op 9 No 2 as the overwhelming favourite, although out of all the 3 I think it is the most challenging one.

I've never heard of 15/2 being assigned as a first nocturne, but I guess anything's possible for a player who's reached an reasonably advanced level but never studied one previously.

Steven

Part of the reason 9/2 is so often played is it's so recognizable, and I don't mean vice versa. In my very early pianistic youth I didn't realize Chopin had written any others. That one was Chopin's Nocturne, singular. As has been pointed out it's really not all that easy to play well. I think either the C Minor or C Sharp Minor posthumous would be a better choice for a first. Not only are they a bit easier, they're also much less heard, and quite satisfying to play.

Hi fan,
Still on me’ first lifetime including memories of Londinium ... and a penchant for the Chopin Nocturne Opus 9-2.

Brief ghosts of the geezers you mentioned ...

Thomas Beecham ... firebrand orchestral conductor ... witty, rude.

Eric Coates ... Dam Busters March (London Bridge, London Suite)

John Ireland ... "Sea Fever" to the words of poet John Masefield

"I must go down to the seas again ... to the lonely sea and the sky,
and all I ask is a tall ship ... and a star to steer her by,
and the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song ... and the white sails shaking
and a grey mist on the sea’s face ... and a grey dawn breaking."

So why the mention of these particular chappies?

Are you sure you meant to include Op. 15 No. 2 on that list as "first Chopin Nocturnes". It's certainly far from being one of the easier Nocturnes; the doppio movimento section with 5 against 2 and inner voicing, is quite a challenge. There are easily half a dozen Nocturnes that I would put well ahead of Op. 15 No. 2 as "firsts".

Regards,

I am sorry, it's a typo. Should be Op 15 No 3 in G Minor. My memory is failing me. Op 15 No 2 is one of the harder Chopin Nocturnes and it would be overkill to start on that.

Op 9 No 2 is the one my wife played first. Maybe I'll be up to it in a few years!

My first nocturne was Op 9 No 2 but I think the nocturnes mentioned above by sotto voce, C# minor and C-minor without opus are easier to start with.