This early work was written when Glinka was just 24, nearly a decade before he turned out the pioneering operas—A Life for the Tsar (1834 - 1836) and Russlan and Ludmilla (1837 - 1842)—in which he established a Russian style that would influence virtually every major composer from his homeland who followed him. This nocturne, however, is a charming little piece that divulges the burgeoning talent the young composer already possessed.

The fact that Glinka designed this piece for either piano or harp is easy to understand. The composer is said to have been courting a young harpist at the time, and he created a work that lies easily under the fingers for either instrument. Its many arpeggiated chords call a harp to mind when played on the piano, yet its flowing Beethovenian harmonies—somewhat reminiscent of those in the first movement of the "Moonlight" Sonata—fit well on the keyboard. The piece features a lovely melody and a serene mood. While this is hardly an important composition in Glinka's catalog, it does help the listener to understand the stylistic evolution of Russia's earliest major composer.

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