Delicious Longing
The article discusses Susan Tomes' new book, 'Nocturnes,' which explores the influence of night music on composers. It highlights the connection between Aloysius Bertrand's work and Maurice Ravel's composition 'Gaspard de la nuit.' Tomes delves into the evolution of the piano nocturne and its significance in Romantic music.
- ▪Susan Tomes' book 'Nocturnes' examines music inspired by the night.
- ▪Aloysius Bertrand's 'Gaspard de la nuit' significantly influenced Maurice Ravel's compositions.
- ▪The nocturne genre evolved from simple melodies to complex musical expressions in the Romantic era.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Delicious Longing Richard Bratby May 21, 2026 Share Article Nocturnes: and the Fascination of Night Music by susan tomesyale university, 368 pages, $30 One day around 1836, in the ancient city of Dijon, the young French poet Aloysius Bertrand was dreaming his dreams, when “the cough of someone walking dispersed [his] reveries.” Bertrand observed the stranger’s “threadbare frock coat buttoned up to his chin, his felt hat, shapeless, that never brush had brushed, his hair long like the foliage of a weeping willow.” This new acquaintance, it turned out, was in possession of occult secrets. He pressed into Bertrand’s hand a manuscript: Gaspard de la nuit, fantaisies à la manière de Rembrandt et de Callot. And then he slipped away. Or so Bertrand wrote.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at First Things.
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