Chopin - Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1

Chopin - Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1 In C Minor
Frederic Chopin's Nocturne Op 48 No 1 (1841) belongs to Chopin's mature period. This is Chopin at his most serious, philosophical, and tragic.
Unlike the earlier nocturnes, this one feels more public, monumental, and emotionally heavy. Many pianists and scholars consider this not only his greatest nocturnes, but one of Chopin's most profound works.
The piece begins with its main melody, arguable the best Chopin ever wrote. It is a line filled with restraint, grief, broken dignity, and suppressed intensity. To me, I hear doubt and despair in the melody, representative of spiritual exhaustion. Out of the climax rises a sort of chorale section. The hymn-like chords echo a return to sanctity, piety, and purity that will eventually be tested.
Eventually, this melody is accompanied by loads of octaves, creating a stark contrast between the divine and pain that feels like existential struggle. This eventually collapses and from it comes the return of the main melody. It is no longer simple, it is agitated and fragile, abandoning the restraint of the first section and devoid of the piety in the middle. To me, this is music at its most human. This section reaches a climax and the piece ends mournfully.
This is no longer background music, such as many may see the original nocturnes; this piece demands attention. It stands among the greatest works of the composer, and through it his despair and genius are fully manifested.
0:00 Lento
1:55 Poco Piu Lento
4:07 Doppio Movimento