William L. Gillock ： Nocturne

Gillock’s Nocturne is a short piece with a calm atmosphere suggestive of nighttime, inviting the player to savor its singing melody. A key expressive goal is to distinguish the melody from the accompaniment and connect the phrases smoothly. Rather than allowing the music to hurry, performers should feel a gentle breath within the beat and shape changes in dynamics and sonority naturally from one passage to the next. The pedal should be changed with the harmonic movement so that the sound remains clear, while rests and lingering resonance should be treated as part of the music. By identifying the peaks of the melody and keeping the accompaniment subdued, aim for a performance that has a sense of direction even within its quiet mood.