Frédéric Chopin: Nocturnes, Op. 9: No. 1 in B-Flat Minor | Arthur Rubinstein

May 4, 2015

This Chopin Piece Has a Story You Won't Forget

Hear the haunting history of Chopin Nocturne in C sharp minor, played live on the radio during the 1939 siege of Warsaw.

This video explores the remarkable story of a pianist who performed Chopin Nocturne in C sharp minor while bombs fell on the city. When the broadcast was abruptly cut off during the 1939 bombardment, it became a symbol of resistance and cultural endurance. We examine how this piece of music connected a nation through its darkest hour.

Learn about the personal history behind the performance and the moment the pianist returned years later to play the same piece once Polish radio resumed. This account is for anyone interested in the intersection of classical piano history and wartime events. Understanding the context of this broadcast provides a new perspective on why this specific Chopin Nocturne remains so significant to Polish history today.

Listen to a short clip of this magnificent and moving piece here.

Chopin: Scherzo No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 31: Presto – Sostenuto · Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Jul 31, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Chopin: Nocturne No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1 | Maurizio Pollini

Sep 15, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: 3. Allegro vivace

Nov 10, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

12 Études, Op. 25: No. 1 in A-Flat Major "Aeolian Harp" | Shura Cherkassky

Aug 1, 2019 | Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America

Chopin: Nocturne No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1

Sep 15, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

12 Études, Op. 10: No. 3 in E Major "Tristesse"

Aug 1, 2019 | Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America

I love this image of this very talented musician. Maybe it's because he looks so avuncular. – © Mark Alexander

HAUSER : Nocturne in C Sharp Minor

May 11, 2020 | HAUSER performing Nocturne in C sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin with London Symphony Orchestra | Filmed by Medvid Production

Daniil Trifonov – Chopin: Fantaisie-Impromptu In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66 | Reupload

October 6, 2017

Daniil Trifonov – Chopin: Fantaisie-Impromptu In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66 | Reupload

Oct 6, 2017

Chopin: Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23 · Krystian Zimerman · Frédéric Chopin

July 29, 2018

Chopin: Nocturne No. 2 In E Flat, Op. 9 No. 2 · Maurizio Pollini · Frédéric Chopin

September 15, 2018

Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op. 28: No. 15 in D-Flat Major "Raindrop Prelude" (2011 Recording) · Maurizio Pollini

October 27, 2018

Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: 2. Larghetto · Krystian Zimerman · Polish Festival Orchestra

Nov 10, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Daniil Trifonov - Chopin: Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21

March 10, 2028

Daniil Trifonov - Chopin: Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In F Minor, Op.21 (Arr. by Pletnev) | Reupload

March 2, 2018

Daniil Trifonov – Chopin: Fantaisie-Impromptu In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66 | Reupload

October 6, 2017

Mikhail Pletnev - Chopin: 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 in D-Flat Major "Raindrop Prelude"

December 5, 2025

Rubinstein Plays Chopin: Polonaise op. 53

10 Jan 2024 | Arthur Rubinstein plays Chopin's Polonaise op. 53 in A-flat major at the infamous Moscow recital on 1. October 1964

Surely this is the greatest performance of this piece on film; it is energetic, passionate and bombastic like no other with a deep nationalistic undertone and incredible sensitivity.