Nocturne in E-flat Major

Chopin's most recorded nocturne — a long-breathed, singing melody over a rocking left-hand waltz, written when Chopin was 20 and still shaping the nocturne form he'd make his own. The closing bars break from the steady pulse into a free, cadenza-like flourish before settling back to a quiet close.

Keep the left hand metronomic and nearly inaudible under the melody — it's the anchor, not a second voice. Learn the right hand's ornaments slowly and in strict time first; the "rubato" feel only works once the underlying rhythm is solid enough to bend on purpose.

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