In Frederic Chopin’s Nocturne, the tempo can be discussed as moderate and slow with certain rubato parts used to accentuate significant fluctuations in the tempo. This approach allows for emphasizing the mood of the piece. In addition, dynamics in Nocturne add color to the pattern of the work as they vary and change from being moderate and soft to loud and intense in some parts of the piece. It is also important to pay attention to the tone color typical of Chopin’s Nocturne.
The composer chose to focus on mixing different shades of one tone color in the piece in order to highlight the mood. Thus, there are no significant changes in the tone color, but slight differences in shades of the tone allow for creating a certain effect on a listener.
The use of rubato is one of the main characteristic features of Chopin’s Nocturne that adds to making the melody and tempo more diverse and pathetic. It seems that the accentuated parts with rubato contribute to providing the notes in the music piece with more expressive values. However, the emphasis put on the melody to produce a certain mood allows for using rubato only in the context of a specific tonal pattern. As a result, the overall mood of Chopin’s Nocturne is perceived as being melancholic and intimate while accentuating loneliness with the help of using gentle and lyric melodies. That is why listeners feel some melancholy and nostalgia when listening to this music piece.