F. Chopin: Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. post.

The Nocturne No. 20 in C-sharp minor, Op. posth., Lento con gran espressione, P 1, No. 16, KKIVa/16, is a solo piano piece composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1830 and published in 1870.

 

Chopin dedicated this work to his older sister, Ludwika Chopin, with the statement: “To my sister Ludwika as an exercise before beginning the study of my second Concerto“.

 

First published 26 years after the composer’s death, the piece is usually referred to as Lento con gran espressione, from its tempo marking. It is sometimes also called Reminiscence.

 

The piece was played by Holocaust survivor Natalia Karp for the Nazi concentration camp commandant Amon Goeth, with Goeth being so impressed with the rendition that he spared Karp’s life.