Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 in B-flat minor MIDI & Sheet Music
Frédéric Chopin · 1832
Opus 9 came out in 1832, soon after Chopin settled in Paris, dedicated to Marie Pleyel, one of the most admired pianists in Europe. No. 2 went on to become Chopin's most famous nocturne; No. 1, which opens the set, is darker and freer, and well worth its place beside it.
⏱5:40♪1719 notes🎚Advanced🎼B-flat minor♩116 per quarter🎹A#1 → F7🦶pedal marks
Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 in B-flat minor · Sheet music
The left hand unrolls steady arpeggios from start to finish while the right takes its time, with ornate runs that spill over the bar line like a singer improvising. In the middle the piece moves to D-flat major and the right hand sings in octaves. Then B-flat minor returns, and the nocturne closes on a major chord.
Pedal that carries the harmony without blurring the runs
The tricky passages
Bar 15 : a leap of 25 semitones (over two octaves) in the left hand, in under half a second
Bar 51 : the right hand shifts position by 12 semitones compared with the previous bar
Bar 73 : 29 notes in a row in the right hand, at about 9.3 notes per second
Bar 84 : the left hand stretches over 20 semitones (chord to roll)
Playing Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 on piano with Pianovera
Those right-hand runs look impossible to read at speed. In Pianovera, take them in Wait mode, where the notes stop on each expected key. Then set 60% speed and let the left hand set the pulse; the right hand settles onto it.
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About this piece
How long is Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1?
The MIDI file lasts 5:40: 85 bars in 6/4, 1719 notes, at 116 bpm (quarter notes). Slowed to 60%, it lasts 9:27.
What level do you need to play Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1?
We rate it advanced in B-flat minor, with sustain pedal marks. The left hand stretches up to 20 semitones (chord to roll) and the right hand up to 12 semitones (an octave), across 67 semitones of keyboard (A#1 to F7), at 5 notes per second on average. The first thing to work on: the right-hand runs, supple and unhurried.
What is the hardest passage in Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1?
It is bar 73: 29 notes in a row in the right hand, at about 9.3 notes per second.
What tempo should a beginner practice Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 at?
Aim for 70 bpm (quarter notes), which is 60% of the file's tempo (116).
Is there sheet music for Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 with fingering?
Yes: 1420 fingerings, 85 bars, shown in full above and as a free printable PDF.
