A Forgotten Nocturne of Ferdo Livadić

Abstract

In the introduction of his article the author draws our attention to the significance of piano music in Romanticism and to the time of the appearance of the piano nocturne, a form which is, owing to its pure melodic and elegiac qualities, extraordinarily well suited to the expression of lyric moods. He notes that Ferdo Livadić (1799–1878), known, besides Vatroslav Lisinski, as the most important composer of the so-called Illyric period, composed his piano nocturne in F sharp minor in 1822, pointing out that the first nocturne by John Field in the history of piano music was written in 1814 and the first nocturne of Chopin as late as 1827. At a period when musical Romanticism was unknown in Croatia Livadić, while studying in Graz (1816–1822) came across some of Field's nocturnes which he could then use as models. Further the author gives an analysis of this composition of Livadić. The form of this nocturne comprises three parts (A-B-C-coda). However, part A is most successful and romantic and closest to the character of a nocturne whereas part B is somewhat rhapsodic, not lucid enough and not well rounded. In addition to this, part B is nearer to classical models. However, the nocturne of Livadić has a historical value in that it provides a link between the nocturnes of Field and those of Chopin. The iniciative for this article was provided by the ninetieth anniversary of Livadić's death.