It is in 14 sections: the German title Fünf Sätze (i.e. "Five pieces", or "movements") refers to the fact that the vocal settings fall into five groups, four of poems by Lenau and one of the poem by Keller, separated by instrumental interludes.
It falls into five sections: Ruhig, a nature scene, on the death of love; Presto, a nightmare; Unruhig bewegt, memories of a dead friend; Ruhig und leise, birds and nature remind the poet of the death of a friend; Rasch und kräftig, quasi recit., the poet seeks solitude, looks to the stars, and begs for rest.
[2][3] According to Schoeck's biographer Chris Walton, Alban Berg had words of praise for Notturno.
Critic Miles Kastendieck wrote that, "Notturno stems from Mahler", and that the work evidenced "a surprisingly sustained melodic strength.
[2][5] Music critic Alex Ross has described the final section, in which the poet addresses the Heerwagen (army wagon, the constellation Ursa Major), as "wrenchingly beautiful".