john field

[Chrysalis]

who likes john field

i bought his nocturnes on cd and i am very fond of them
does somebody knows where to find sheetmusic from his

nocturne in a major...
and the one in e flat

?

those 2 are my favs btw

[rafant]

At last! A Field's fan! I share your taste for his Nocturnes. I have the complete collection from Decca played wonderfully by Michael O'Rourke, and bought the Kalmus edition of the 18 Nocturnes. I don't have the sheet music with me right now, and can't quote the keys, but I enjoy very much the numbered 2, 3, 4, one in G Major and 2 or 3 more.
I find in Field's Nocturnes great lyricism, inspirated melodies, interesting musical ideas, although not always enough exploited nor developed. Sometimes the ending bars are too simply considering the beauty of the preceding piece, but it's a minor detail. Still it's great music and I'd like to hear it more in recitals.
Do you intend to play this pieces? I'm near to start the G Major one, which would be my first whole left-handed arpeggiatted piece.

[joell12068]

who likes john field

i bought his nocturnes on cd and i am very fond of them
does somebody knows where to find sheetmusic from his

nocturne in a major...
and the one in e flat

?

those 2 are my favs btw

I'll email them to you.

[Chrysalis]

coool another j.field fan

[Rockitman]

Me too.  I've heard Chopin got his inspiration for his nocturnes from Field.

[vivacelife]

I like him very much...

[bernhard]

Me too.  I've heard Chopin got his inspiration for his nocturnes from Field.

Indeed, Field invented the Nocturne (although the word goes back to Haydn who composed a Notturno for flute, oboe, two horns and strings and a few more for hurdy gurdy ).

Field’s nocturnes are all beautiful  (and not that difficult) but sadly neglected. 

My favourite is no.4 in A major.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[dinosaurtales]

His nocturnes are very nice indeed! His sonatas are also nice, and rarely played.  I did his Sonata Op 1 #1 in e-flat last year - 2 movements - it holds together really well and it's fun to play.

[jlh]

Me too.  I've heard Chopin got his inspiration for his nocturnes from Field.

Yep, take a listen to Field's A Major Nocturn and tell me Chopin was not influenced by him.

[Nordlys]

Not only the nocturnes were a source of inspiration for Chopin. I have a CD with John Field piano concertos. They have a lot in common with the Chopin concertos.

[athykay]

I recently got all of the Nocturnes in a Schirmer edition.  You can find it on Amazon.com.

I agree that these pieces sbblimely beautiful and  under played.  And, Field is, indeed the father of the nocturne,  not Chopin, as many think.

When playing (or listening) to them, you can definitely see how Chopin used them as a springboard for many of his ideas.  Chopin took the nocturne to another level with his embellishments and greater harmonic complexity, but I think Field's nocturnes can be every bit as gut wrenchingly beautiful.

I think one of the challenges in playing them well is in countouring the melody lines.  I'm not sure why, but  for me it seems harder with  his nocturnes than with Chopin's.

Fields also had sort of a sad history.  He was almost a slave boy to Clementi.  In exchange  for being taught by Clementi,  Field worked for him in his piano sales room and Clementi published his some of his earliest works anonymously while prohibiting him from playing in public.   One wonders  if Clementi had promoted Field as a composer in his own right, fostered his performance  and encouraged him, if his notoriety would have been greater in the end.

[Beet9]

John Field is my favorite underrated composer!  His nocturnes are gorgeous, especially the 4th.  I love his concertos also - i have a recording of the 5th and 6th. 
I have tried to find the score to the 5th concerto - can't find it anywhere.  Does anyone happen to know where I can get this?

[bernhard]

I recently got all of the Nocturnes in a Schirmer edition.  You can find it on Amazon.com.

I agree that these pieces sbblimely beautiful and  under played.  And, Field is, indeed the father of the nocturne,  not Chopin, as many think.

When playing (or listening) to them, you can definitely see how Chopin used them as a springboard for many of his ideas.  Chopin took the nocturne to another level with his embellishments and greater harmonic complexity, but I think Field's nocturnes can be every bit as gut wrenchingly beautiful.

I think one of the challenges in playing them well is in countouring the melody lines.  I'm not sure why, but  for me it seems harder with  his nocturnes than with Chopin's.

Fields also had sort of a sad history.  He was almost a slave boy to Clementi.  In exchange  for being taught by Clementi,  Field worked for him in his piano sales room and Clementi published his some of his earliest works anonymously while prohibiting him from playing in public.   One wonders  if Clementi had promoted Field as a composer in his own right, fostered his performance  and encouraged him, if his notoriety would have been greater in the end.

And lest we forget, Field created single handed the "Russian School of Piano Playing" (should really be the "Irish School" )