nocturne (Fr., ‘pertaining to night’). A comp. which suggests a nocturnal atmosphere, e.g. Haydn's Notturnos for lira organizzata, Mozart's Serenata Notturna, but more specifically a short pf. piece of romantic character. First to use the title for this genre was John Field, followed by Chopin. An expressive melody in the right hand is accompanied in the left by broken chords.