Guest
His First Nocturne for piano gets the same criticism. True, it had a few similarities to Chopin's Op. 27 No. 1. Abelardo wrote his nocturne in the same style, the same key and even the same modulations. But, that is only as far as it goes. The two nocturnes are distinct in phraseology and atmosphere. In Abelardo's Nocturne, one feels the evening mood of a quiet Philippine town with its small clusters of little nipa houses where weak yellow lights of kerosene lamps decorate the darkness through their windows. If one had seen such a town from the commanding distance of a hill at night after a long, lonely walk, he would feel the mood of Abelardo's Nocturne more. Yet, it is not only a description of a mood; it is a passionate reflection on bitter loneliness. But Chopin's Nocturne presents a different scene and a different mood. His is a European scene, with strong houses with big tiled roofs and tightly framed windows; and it is a beautiful reflection on accepted loneliness. Abelardo's
