Music, the central motif of the collection, functions as a paradoxical force, representing both pure artistic aspiration and a devalued commercial product. For Ishiguro’s characters, music is a fragile vessel for identity and emotional truth, yet it is constantly subjected to the humiliating pressures of the marketplace. This tension fuels the core theme of The Conflict Between Artistic Integrity and Commercial Demands. In “Crooner,” the guitarist Janek is forced to play tourist-pleasing movie themes, recalling how he once went “from band to band and playing ‘The Godfather’ nine times in one afternoon” (4). This repetitive, soulless performance highlights how commercial necessity can drain music of its personal meaning and significance. 

The Great American Songbook, a specific subset of this motif, often appears as a symbol of a lost, more authentic past, ironically set against the characters’ compromised present. Though Tony Gardner’s use of his love songs to confirm his divorce from Lindy, his music represents, for Janek, a specifically romantic, authentic past through his memories of his mother. Similarly, the cello in “Cellists” represents Tibor’s high artistic potential, a potential threatened not only by the need to earn a living but also by the abstract and damaging theories of his mentor. Even though Eloise’s theories are unprofitable, Tibor admits that her advice improves his playing, evoking the authentic, emotional potential of music. Ultimately, music in Nocturnes is both the language of unfulfilled potential and genuine expression, a constant reminder of what the characters strive for and what they are forced to sacrifice.