Noctave
The piece
Chopin was about nineteen when he wrote this waltz, which he never published. His friend Julian Fontana brought it out in 1855 with other manuscripts after the composer’s death, which explains the late opus number. The melancholy B minor theme moves in small sighs and settles on long notes; the waltz alternates it with brighter episodes, including a calmer section in B major, before a final return of the theme.
The left hand carries most of the work: 180 quick leaps, nearly all between the bass on the first beat and the chord on the next two. Aim for the top of the chord with your eyes at first, then let the hand learn the distance on its own. The bass should ring and the chords stay light, or the waltz turns into a march. Take the Moderato marking at its word: do not push the tempo, because the charm lies in the right-hand melody and its held notes, which need a true legato. Allow the theme a little freedom, but keep the left hand where it belongs.