Nocturne in E-flat major Op.55 No.2
Nocturne Piano solo ~6 min
In brief

This Nocturne in E-flat major unfolds in a lyrical, contemplative mood where the melody floats above a delicate accompaniment, requiring close attention to the balance between musical layers. Technically, the Voix chantante (4.4/5) here requires shaping the melodic line with precise fingerwork and controlled arm weight so the tune sings without overwhelming the accompaniment, while the Pédale de sustain (4.4/5) demands careful, often half-pedal changes to keep resonance alive without blurring the harmony. The piece belongs to Chopin's set of nocturnes and illustrates his focus on intimate, refined piano miniatures where expressive nuance and touch are central.

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MusicCoach difficulty
72/100
Advanced
Likely range : 63–80/100
Confidence : 61% · fair confidence
BeginnerIntermediateAdvancedVirtuoso
Exam grade
On the syllabus: Grade 8 ABRSM

Official level, taken from the exam syllabus.

Difficulty estimate by MusicCoach on a scale of 1 to 100.

Where this work sits
050100

Most works cluster between 45 and 65: a small score gap often marks a real step. The highlighted bar shows this work among those for the same instrument.

The MusicCoach difficulty measures a work's overall demands (technique, reading, stamina) on a shared 0-100 scale, consolidated from editorial and pedagogical reference points (Henle, exam syllabuses, curation) and our own analyses. It measures neither musical value nor the practice time YOU will need: two musicians of the same level can experience the same work very differently depending on their strengths (hands used to octaves, quick sight-reading…). The confidence reflects how many reference points sit behind the score and how well they agree — a lightly documented score is flagged “to validate”. For a truly personal bearing, the diagnostic and your space compare each work to YOUR estimated level, which the score alone cannot do.

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Difficulty sources
Combined exam syllabi
Grade 8
76/100 normalised
Relative difficulty
74%
Among Frédéric Chopin
88%
Era
90%
Genre
Estimated skills
Pedaling
Sustain pedal
1
Interpretation
Singing voice
1
Technique
Legato
2
Interpretation
Phrasing
3
Style
Character and style
1
Tone
Touch control
1
Interpretation
Dynamics
2
Ornaments
Romantic ornaments
1
Technique
Fast passages
1
Rhythm
Tempo rubato
1
What to play next?

Each suggestion combines difficulty gap, risk, confidence and skill overlap. The first two cards in each column are the most useful pedagogically.

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