John Field

Basically, I'm wondering how many people actually know who he is?

I recently came across his 2nd Piano Concerto and fell in love with the second movement. It was a complete coincidence that I found it... in fact it was Google's weird search results for a completely different query (don't remember what) that first introduced me to him (thanks google!).

Anyway, I decided to flip through my university's library records, and I found recordings of all of his piano concertos. I must say that I was impressed by the man and came to ask myself why I had never heard of him, or why he doesn't get any recognition outside of Russian and Ireland.

Basically, I'm wondering whether you have heard of him, and if so, whether you play the piano?! Seems that only piano students know of him. For your pleasure, I included a link to a free recording of his 2nd piano concerto, mvt 2 below, as well as his bio.

Bio of the man:
http://www.carolinaclassical.com/articles/field.html

RealPlayer recording of my beloved 2nd movement from his 2nd piano concerto:
http://www.carolinaclassical.com/articles/...rtoinaf2nd.html

Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Another unjustly neglected master. Such purely romantic sentiments, so early! Most of his output is from before 1820 - and the 2nd Piano Concerto is from 1811. Even Beethoven wasn't often quite this romantic, this early - Beethoven's romanticism was tempered by his classical training for most of his life. Field seems to have detached himself from classicism almost from day one, even though he studied with Clementi.

Field's was among the first to write one-movement "character pieces," later emulated by such as Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt and Grieg - and he was the first to write Nocturnes - 16 of them - years before Chopin.

Thanks for reminding me.

I love John Field's Nocturnes. I often love to imitate his style while improvising. His left hand bass often consists of an arpeggiated left hand but with a bass line that is moving a bit slower than the notes in the arpeggiation. This style lends itself remarkably well to learning counterpoint in the context of early-Romantic piano music style.

I love John Field's Nocturnes. I often love to imitate his style while improvising. His left hand bass often consists of an arpeggiated left hand but with a bass line that is moving a bit slower than the notes in the arpeggiation. This style lends itself remarkably well to learning counterpoint in the context of early-Romantic piano music style.

It's great to see someone who likes to improvise in such a style! Now, while I'm not a really a big fan of John Field's work, his style is generally very beautiful in its sophistication. Though his music lacks the morbidity of Frederic Chopin's, in no way does it lack depth. As a melodist, he is definitely the equal of Franz Schubert, and his sense of structure and counterpoint comes close to rivalling Clementi or Hummel but is definitely overshadowed by Beethoven. He is rather conventional harmonically, influencing Mendelssohn in this respect.

I just bought a recording of his 1st and 3rd piano concerti a couple weeks ago. Can't say I like the 1st that much, haven't listened to the 3rd yet, but certainly Field's accomplishments deserve a high standing among the composers of that era.

I just bought a recording of his 1st and 3rd piano concerti a couple weeks ago.*

On Naxos ?

I remember listening to him on the radio IN AMERICA!!
It was one of his piano concertos, though which one I'll never know. (if this is the same guy we are talking about) he reminded me of beehtoven just that his orchestration was not at all up to beehtoven's. THough no matter I really enjoyed his style. ALOT! quite impressed I was. (hopefully we are talking about the same guy) 1820 hmmmmmmmm......