This substantial but relatively neglected piece has affinities with the slow movements of both the String Quintet in C major D. 956, and the Piano Trio No.
[1] It has the sublime slowness of the string quintet movement (in one recording of the Notturno, by the Beaux Arts Trio, Schubert takes half a minute to leave the opening tonic harmony), together with a similar use of pizzicato at various points, and with the same paradoxical effect: the pizzicato decorations of the main tune seem to enhance the underlying tragedy of the music, rather than lightening it.
The main melodic idea of the episode is a three-note, dotted figure, which has an almost martial, march-like quality, despite the continued slowness of the music's underlying tempo, thus providing a contrast with the opening section while not disturbing the unity of the piece.
The Notturno was used intermittently in the background during BBC Radio 4's July 2008 serialisation of Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady.
It is also played during the end scene of the film Shall We Kiss?, as well as in some episodes of the third season of the American television series Hannibal.