Musical structure, function and expressive character

Both pieces “Arirang,”* and “Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2” currently almost begin with the same structure. Overall, Chopin’s piece is a rounded binary form, with its AABABAC formation. The Korean folk song, however, is not a rounded binary form since its formation is AA’BA’ and repeat. Theme A is actually traditionally played as the chorus because it has the main verse with the lyrics, “Arirang Arirang Arariyo” in measures 1 through 4. The next verse is somewhat different from the previous idea both rhythmically and melodically on the music sheet, but the same “dotted quarter-eighth-quarter” motif that is distinguished as the main theme of the folk song is played twice to help identify the part as still a part of theme A. Looking carefully, it looks as if Section A’ is almost symmetrically flipped across to mirror Section A. Throughout the song, each simplistic phrase is played four measures long, but when Se-Na repeats the tune, she ornaments the piece by adding triplets, rather than eighth notes as the background while her dominant hand plays the main tune.

Chopin’s Nocturne is also similar in that as the music progresses, the themes begin to become more technically complex and more expressive. The song begins with a pickup, and the first theme lasts four bars, as does all the other sections throughout the song, excluding C, or coda, which lasts approximately 11 measures.

The beginning motifs in the first A theme is replayed in bars 5 and six, with more ornamentation. After the song passes the B theme, which contains a bit of a resemblance to Section A’s rhythmic patterns, the next A theme does not begin with a pick-up, but rather with several grace notes, being engulfed in more sixteenth notes. Later on in the phrase, different rhythmical notes appear to fluctuate the appearance of the entire piece. Unlike the pattern given in A’s development after each time it’s played, the B theme is not developing, or rather, the Section Bs are exactly the same.



The end of A is slightly different from before as it transitions into the coda. Going into the octaves, the constant set of 32nd notes slow down to a tempo and finish with the Eb major chord, just like how the beginning had started.


*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWLjIIv6PoY&feature=related