Definition of nocturnes Nocturnes
We found 3 definitions of nocturnes from 3 different sources.
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What does nocturnes mean?
Wiktionary 
- nocturnes (Noun)
Plural of nocturne.
Wikipedia 
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Debussy
"Nocturnes" is a piece of music for orchestra by the French composer Claude Debussy. There are three movements. A female chorus also sings in the last movement. Debussy finished writing "Nocturnes" on 15 December 1899.
The music.
A lot of Debussy’s music, including "Nocturnes", is inspired by the paintings of the Impressionist painters. The word “nocturne” really means: “a piece about the night”. However, "Nocturnes" does not seem to be about the night at all. It is really about the way that light shines on things in Impressionist paintings.
'Nuages' is about the clouds in the sky and the way they move slowly in grey colours with a little white.
'Fêtes' is a very lively picture of a group of people having a celebration and dancing. A procession is heard arriving. The music of the procession gradually gets louder, mixes with the music of the dancing, then it gradually dies away as the procession disappears into the distance.
'Sirènes' describes the sea and the many rhythms that can be heard when we listen to it. The moonlight shines on the sea, and the mysterious song of the Sirens is heard as they laugh.
First performances.
The Lamoureux Orchestra conducted by Camille Chevillard gave the first performance of "Nuages" and "Fêtes" in Paris in 1900, and they played the first performance of all three movements the next year. Some of the listeners found it hard to understand at first, but today "Nocturnes" is one of Debussy’s most popular works.
The music lasts for about 22 minute
Part of speech
🔤- nocturnes, noun, plural of nocturne.
