Nocturne No. 2 in C minor

Field's Nocturne No. 2 in C minor is one of the most expressive and frequently performed of the early nocturnes. The minor key gives it a quiet pathos that is unusual in Field's generally warm and pastoral world, and the melody has a simplicity that borders on folk song. Published c.1812, it is a companion to the E♭ and A♭ nocturnes of the same period. The piece moves between the main C minor theme and a more consoling E♭ major episode before returning to the opening material, slightly ornamented. At its best, the C minor Nocturne achieves a quiet emotional depth that anticipates Chopin's minor-mode nocturnes — though Field's world remains fundamentally simpler and more contained.

The C minor Nocturne rewards careful attention to the melodic line's rise and fall: the phrases should breathe like vocal lines, with natural dynamic shaping following the contour of the melody. The E♭ major episode should feel like a gentle consolation, warmer and slightly more relaxed in tempo. On the return of the main theme, add the ornaments lightly and naturally. The overall mood should be quiet and introspective — restrained grief rather than Romantic anguish.