Chopin's fifth nocturne, Op. 15 No. 2, is in A–B–A form, in 2
4 time. The first section, marked Larghetto, features an intricate, elaborately ornamental melody over an even quaver bass. The second section, labeled "doppio movimento" (double speed), resembles a scherzo with dotted quaver-semi quaver melody, semiquavers in a lower voice in the right hand, and large jumps in the bass. The final section is a shortened version of the first (14 bars rather than 24) with characteristic cadenzas and elaboration, finishing with an arpeggio on F♯ major, falling at first, then dying away. Many consider this nocturne to be the best of the opus, stating that its musical maturity matches some of his later nocturnes.
