Chopin – Nocturne op. 9 n. 1  (1830)
 
Chopin’s nocturnes are probably his best known and most loved pieces. Their composition spans throughout all Chopin’s life, from the first nocturne in C minor composed at 15-year-old, to the two nocturnes op. 62 composed just 3 years before his death. The three nocturnes op. 9 were the first to be published, and they typically open all recordings and executions. The first nocturne, like a manifest, presents all the elements that would give immortal fame to the genre: an elegant and melancholic melody to be played with rhythmic freedom and abundant embellishments, a dreamlike accompaniment flowing like a tranquil night breeze, a simple ABA structure, but above all a pleasure to listen that has few equals in the history of classical music.