Nocturne No. 1

The premiere of the first piece, Lento in E-flat minor, was given by Marie Jaëll at the Société Nationale de Musique in February 1885. Jaëll (1846–1925) was a musician who studied piano with Moscheles and others, and composition with Franck and Saint-Saëns. This first nocturne is dedicated to Madame Marguerite Boni, wife of the painter Eugène Boni. Madame Boni (1850–1930) hosted music-centered salons in Paris from 1870 to 1930. These salons served as an excellent venue for musicians whose names are still known today, such as Chabrier, Fauré, Debussy, Ravel, and Poulenc, to gather and interact. Incidentally, Madame Boni later remarried the sculptor Saint-Marceaux in 1892.

This first nocturne is written in ternary form and begins with a meditative atmosphere. When this opening section is recapitulated, it is elaborated and developed. This is a technique generally observed in Fauré's later nocturnes. In the middle section, a second motif appears in the low register, reminiscent of a funeral march. In particular, the sextuplets consisting of sixteenth notes seem to evoke increasing anxiety as the music progresses. Subsequently, as if released from anxiety, a graceful melody in G major is sung in the high register. This melody is later recapitulated a semitone higher in A-flat major. Eventually, a transitional passage, seemingly derived from a single line, is inserted. The melody, which appears simple yet carries a sense of melancholy, is likely due to the ingenious harmonic progression. When the opening “dumka-like” section is recapitulated, as mentioned, it is elaborated, becoming even smoother through the use of passing tones and appoggiaturas. Notably, the use of sixteenth rests and chromatic scales has the effect of blurring the overall outline. The B-flat in the concluding section evokes a return to the tonic, symbolizing a desire for rest.

Nocturne No. 2

The second piece is believed to have been composed around 1881. This nocturne in B major is dedicated to Madame Louise Guillon. Like the first, it is written in ternary form and bears the indication Andantino espressivo. From the outset, the melody begins to sing as if conversing. After this section continues for 12 measures, it transitions to an Allegro ma non troppo section in B minor. Here, the mood abruptly shifts, creating a quietly rustling atmosphere. The dynamic changes are dizzying. In the coda, the B minor motif that appeared in the middle section is presented in B major.

Nocturne No. 3

The third piece was composed in 1883, the year these three nocturnes were published. Its premiere was given by Madame Bordes-Pène at the Société Nationale de Musique in January 1886. Madame Bordes-Pène (1858–1924) was a pianist who was the sister-in-law of Charles Bordes (1863–1909), a musicologist and composer. She won a Premier Prix at the Paris Conservatoire in 1872. This third nocturne in A-flat major is dedicated to Madame A. Beaumoretz. Madame Beaumoretz was the sister of the second wife of Camille Clerc (1828–1882), known as a music enthusiast. At that time, Clerc frequently hosted chamber music concerts at his home on Rue de Monceau in Paris. This nocturne, Andante con moto, is also written in ternary form, similar to the first and second pieces. However, in terms of its structure, it is the most simply written of the three pieces.