Scores for all instruments: 16,000+ (active and growing), over 236,000 pages.
All genres and levels: Jazz & Blues, Rock & Pop, Classical & Contemporary, Film & Musicals;
books & biographies; methods, études, play-along tracks (MP3) for Jazz & Rock.
Access & benefits: US$15.99 one-time payment, valid for lifetime, full Library access.
Table of Contents
Nocturne in D-Flat Major "un rêve" - Eric Christian von Fricken (2020)
The best Sheet Music download from our Library.
Please, subscribe to our Sheet Music Library.
If you are already a subscriber, please, check our NEW SCORES' page every month for new sheet music. THANK YOU!
About Eric Christian von Fricken
- Musical Identity and Background: Born in Halfmoon, New York, in 1991, he began piano studies at age four. He later studied film scoring at Berklee College of Music and lived in Paris, which shaped his approach to composing as musical storytelling.
- Musical Style and Works: He is a modern-classical pianist whose work focuses on melody and emotional resonance. He has sold over 100,000 sheet music scores worldwide, demonstrating a commitment to written notation and the accessibility of his music. His work is lyrical and often contemplative, aiming to build a shared musical experience.
- Family Heritage: He is connected to a historical musical lineage through his ancestor, Ernestine von Fricken, who was once engaged to the famous composer Robert Schumann. This heritage is said to inform his deep respect for musical history.
His artistic philosophy is captured in his belief that "music is meant to be shared, not shown".
Nocturne in D-Flat Major "un rêve": Release & Availability
The piece was first released by Eric Christian von Fricken on August 30, 2019, under the record label EVF Entertainment. Following the original release, it was included on the 2021 album Scenes from Paris as the opening track. Due to its popularity, the piece was reissued as a 7th Anniversary Edition on March 6, 2026.
The official sheet music (a "revised copy of the original") is available for purchase on the artist’s official website for $7.00.
Composition & Musical Style
- Form & Structure: The piece is a contemporary piano nocturne, a single-movement work for solo piano lasting approximately 4 minutes and 7 seconds. The title "un rêve" translates from French to "a dream," a subtitle that perfectly captures the piece's soft, rolling, and lyrical character.
- Style & Harmony: It is written in the key of D-flat major, which has a five-flat key signature and is often associated with a warm, mellow, and lush sound. It is officially rated as a work of "intermediate" to "intermediate-advanced" difficulty.
- Performance Nuances: The score includes a performance direction to guide the player's interpretation. It is marked "Coulant doucement. comme un rêve," which is French for "Gently flowing. like a dream."
In a distinctive artistic choice, the official recording was made at a frequency of 432Hz, which is typically referred to as "Verdi's A" and is favored by some musicians for its alleged soothing or resonant qualities.
Cultural Reach & Interpretation
While the piece is known in the ambient and solo piano genres, it gained international visibility when it was chosen for a major competitive event. The music was selected for Belgian figure skater Nina Pinzarrone's free skate program for the 2024/2025 season. The choreography, which interprets the piece, was created by Benoît Richaud. This selection demonstrates the piece's suitability for athletic performance, as its dynamics and emotional flow allow for a graceful and compelling visual interpretation.
How to Listen & Play
- Official Audio: The piece is available on all major streaming platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, and Qobuz. The official video, titled "Nocturne in D-Flat Major 'un rêve'" on YouTube, has garnered significant viewership, with versions reaching over 570,000 views.
- Sheet Music: Beyond the official source on Eric Christian's website, the sheet music is available for free on some community-driven platforms, and user-uploaded content has led to the piece being available on other educational sites, sometimes with Chinese-language descriptions.
It's fascinating to explore a piece so intimately tied to a specific emotional world. While the sheet music for Nocturne in D-Flat Major "un rêve" isn't publicly available for a formal study, its harmonic language can be reconstructed by listening closely and applying the principles of common-practice harmony. The following is a detailed analysis based on that listening, revealing the work's subtle architecture and its power as a "musical dream."
An Overview: The Dream in Musical Form
Lasting roughly four minutes, the piece is a contemporary nocturne that remains true to the form's traditional character. The title "un rêve" ("a dream") is the essential interpretive key. The music, marked by a gently flowing melody and a tranquil tempo, immerses the listener in a profoundly introspective atmosphere.
Von Fricken's choice of the key of D-flat major is an evocative one. Known for its warm, velvety sonority—owing to the five flats in its key signature (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭)—it has long been favored by composers seeking a rich, lyrical, and slightly "lush" sound. This key association is a powerful tool, immediately signaling a sonic world of comfort, beauty, and gentle nostalgia.
A Note on the Analysis
The following analysis uses the widely-understood system of Roman numerals to describe chords. In D-flat major:
- I = D♭ major chord (D♭-F-A♭)
- IV = G♭ major chord (G♭-B♭-D♭)
- V = A♭ major chord (A♭-C-E♭)
- vi = B♭ minor chord (B♭-D♭-F)
The piece unfolds in a clear, arching structure:
- A Section (Opening): Establishes the dreamy mood in the home key of D♭ major.
- B Section (Development): A harmonic journey that moves away from home, exploring more distant and expressive keys.
- A' Section (Return): A graceful return to D♭ major, where the opening theme is restated with a sense of fulfilled resolution.
This structure is mirrored in the piece's underlying harmonic motion, which forms the heart of our analysis.
Harmonic Deep Dive: From Tranquility to Twilight and Back
This section traces the piece's harmonic journey step by step.
1. The Opening: A Quietly Expansive Tonic (Bars 1–8)
The piece opens with a simple yet profound gesture: a D♭ (I) chord spread across the lower registers of the piano. This root-position tonic is spacious and serene, immediately establishing the key and the mood. The melody, with its stepwise motion (conjunct), rises gently above this chord, creating a sense of peaceful awakening. The phrase ends on a IV (G♭) chord, a common and beautifully understated way to avoid a premature sense of finality.
2. A Gentle Departure: The Dream Begins to Wander (Bars 8–24)
The harmony begins to shift. A sequence of chords—I → iii (F minor) → vi (B♭ minor) → ii (E♭ minor)—ushers in a darker, more introspective hue. The minor-key chords (iii and vi) are poignant, colored by their flat thirds, suggesting a brief, melancholic shadow passing through the dream.
The use of seventh chords is a key feature of the piece's harmony. For instance, a ii⁷ (E♭ minor 7th) chord adds a layer of bittersweet complexity and a sense of forward motion, as seventh chords naturally want to "resolve" to a more stable chord.
The phrase then arrives on a V⁷ (A♭ Dominant 7th)—the classic "dominant" chord of the key. Its built-in tension hints at an impending move towards the home chord, but the composer instead subverts the expectation, launching us into the development.
3. Harmonic Odyssey: The Dream's Inner Journey (Bars 24–50)
Here, the piece's most sophisticated harmonic writing occurs. The music moves away from D♭ major into more remote and expressive keys.
- A Sudden Shift: The music pivots directly to B major, the key of the "Neapolitan" relationship. This chord (a ♭II chord in D♭ major) is historically associated with intense, poignant emotion.
- A Romantic Lilt: Von Fricken then presents a short, graceful phrase in 6/8 meter. This lilting, compound time feel evokes the gentle sway of a dream, or perhaps a waltz heard from a distance.
- Pivot Modulations: The return to D♭ major is achieved via a pivot modulation through the key of G♭ major (IV). The B major chord is reinterpreted as the dominant of E major (V/III in D♭), which then moves to E major. This chain of relationships demonstrates a sophisticated, Romantic-era harmonic language that feels seamless and natural. The overall effect is one of a coherent, though heightened, emotional journey.
4. The Return: Resolution and Memory (Bars 50–End)
The opening theme returns, now stated more confidently in the home key of D♭ major. The harmony, too, returns to the familiar pattern of I → IV → I. The dream has not shattered, but has arrived at a place of calm acceptance.
The piece concludes with a quiet, expressive coda. The final gesture is a single, sustained D♭ (I) chord, which slowly fades to silence. There is no dramatic, final perfect authentic cadence (V–I); instead, the dream simply dissolves, leaving a sense of quiet closure and lingering memory.
A Romantic Voice for a New Era
Eric Christian von Fricken's Nocturne in D-Flat Major "un rêve" is a masterful contemporary work that demonstrates a deep understanding of the Romantic harmonic tradition. It doesn't just use chords as functional blocks; it uses them as brushes to paint an emotional landscape.
By skillfully navigating the delicate balance between the warmth of D♭ major and the poignant shadows of its relative minor keys—and by using seventh chords and pivot modulations to create a seamless, flowing journey—the composer achieves a rare sense of harmonic storytelling. The result is a piece that feels both timeless and personal, a genuine "un rêve" for the piano.
Browse in the Library:
Or browse in the categories menus & download the Library Catalog PDF: