Biography (read more)
John Field was an Irish pianist and composer of the early Romantic period, born in Dublin and trained there before moving to London to study with Muzio Clementi; from 1803 he settled in Russia, living principally in Saint Petersburg and Moscow for the remainder of his career. He is credited with inventing the nocturne, composing eighteen examples characterized by a singing melody set over arpeggiated accompaniment, alongside seven piano concertos noted for imaginative orchestration and other piano works including sonatas and fantasies. He died in Moscow in 1837 from pneumonia.
Field’s creation of the nocturne as a piano genre directly shaped the work of later Romantic composers, most notably Chopin, and also influenced Liszt, Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Brahms, while his decades of teaching and performing in Russia helped lay the foundations of the Russian piano school. Franz Liszt paid tribute to him by publishing an edition of his nocturnes with an extensive eulogy, and though later overshadowed by the composers he inspired, Field remains recognized as a foundational figure in the history of Romantic piano music.
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Repertoire
Nocturne No. 12 in E Major, H. 13 “Nocturne Caractéristique: Noontide”
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Nocturne No.1 in E-flat major, H.24 (Official Music Video)
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Nocturne No. 2 in C Minor, H. 25 (Official Music Video)
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Nocturne No. 14 in G Major, H. 58 (Official Music Video)
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Nocturne No. 9 in E Minor, H. 46 (Official Music Video)
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Nocturne in B Flat Major, H 37 (Version for Harp)
Performed by Magdalena Hoffmann
Piano Concerto No. 5 in C Major, H. 39 “L’incendie par l’orage”: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 5 in C Major, H. 39 “L’incendie par l’orage”: II. Adagio— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 5 in C Major, H. 39 “L’incendie par l’orage”: III. Rondo. Allegro— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 5 in C Major, H. 39, “L’incendie par l’orage”: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 5 in C Major, H. 39, “L’incendie par l’orage”: II. Adagio— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 5 in C Major, H. 39, “L’incendie par l’orage”: III. Rondo allegro— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 49A: II. Larghetto— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 49A: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 49A: III. Rondo. Moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, H. 27: II. Air Ecossais “Within a mile of Edinburgh…— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, H. 27: I. Allegro— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, H. 27: III. Finale. Allegro vivace— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Sonata No. 4 in B Major, H. 17A: I. Moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Sonata No. 4 in B Major, H. 17A: II. Rondo. Moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Sonata No. 4 in B Major, H. 17a: II. Rondo: Moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 2 in A-Flat Major, H. 31: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 2 in A-Flat Major, H. 31: II. Poco adagio— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 2 in A-Flat Major, H. 31: III. Rondo. Moderato innocente— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 4 in E-Flat Major, H. 28: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 4 in E-Flat Major, H. 28: II. Siciliano. Poco adagio— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 4 in E-Flat Major, H. 28: III. Rondo. Allegretto— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 49: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 49: II. Larghetto— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 49: III. Rondo moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 2 in C Minor, H. 25— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 5 in B-Flat Major, H 37— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Field: Nocturne No. 5 in B-Flat Major, H. 37— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Nocturne No. 1 in E-Flat Major, H. 24— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 3 in A-Flat Major, H. 26— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Field: Nocturne No. 3 in A-Flat Major, H. 26— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Nocturne No. 4 in A Major, H. 36— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Field: Nocturne No. 4 in A Major, H. 36— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-Flat Major, H. 32: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-Flat Major, H. 32: III. Rondo. Tempo di polacca— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 7 in C Minor, H. 58a: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 7 in C Minor, H. 58a: II. Rondo. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Sonata No. 1 in E-Flat Major, Op. 1 No. 1, H. 8A: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Sonata No. 1 in E-Flat Major, Op. 1 No. 1, H. 8A: II. Rondo. Allegro— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 1 No. 2, H. 8A: I. Allegro vivace— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 1 No. 2, H. 8A: II. Allegro vivace— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 1 No. 3, H. 8A: I. Non troppo allegro, ma con fuoco e con…— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 1 No. 3, H. 8A: II. Rondo. Allegretto scherzando— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 7 in C Minor, H. 58: I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Piano Concerto No. 7 in C Minor, H. 58: II. Rondo: Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 10 in E Minor, H. 46B— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 1, E flat— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 2, C minor— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 5, B flat— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 10 in E minor— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 11 in E flat major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 12 in G major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 13 in D minor— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 14 in C major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
I. Non troppo allegro, ma con fuoco e con espressione— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
II. Rondo: Allegretto scherzando— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 15 in C major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 16 in F major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 17 in E major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 18 in E major, “Midi”— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 1 in E flat major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 2 in C minor— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 3 in A flat major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 4 in A major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 5 in B flat major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
I. Allegro moderato— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
II. Rondo: Allegro— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 6 in F major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 7 in C major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 8 in A major— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
I. Allegro vivace— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
II. Allegro vivace— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 5 in B-Flat Major, H. 37A— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 6 in F Major, H. 40A— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 7 in C Major, H. 45A— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 8 in A Major, H. 14E— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 11 in E-Flat Major, H. 56A— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 12 in G Major, H. 58D— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 13 in D Minor, H. 59A— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 14 in C Major, H. 60A— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 15 in C Major, H. 61A— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 16 in F Major, H. 62— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 17 in E Major, H. 54A— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Nocturne No. 18 in E Major, H. 13R “Le midi”— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
II. Poco adagio— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
III. Moderato innocente— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
II. Siciliano: Poco adagio— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
III. Rondo: Allegretto— Benjamin Frith
Performed by Benjamin Frith
Field: Nocturne No. 6 in F Major, H. 40 “Cradle Song”— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Nocturne No. 7 in A Major, H. 14— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Nocturne No. 8 in E-Flat Major, H. 30— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Nocturne No. 10 in E Major, H. 54 “Nocturne Pastorale”— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Nocturne No. 11 in E-Flat Major, H. 56— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Nocturne No. 13 in C Major, H. 45 “Rêverie-Nocturne”— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Nocturne No. 15 in D Minor, H. 59 “Song Without Words”— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Nocturne No. 16 in C Major, H. 60— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Nocturne No. 17 in C Major, H. 61— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Nocturne No. 18 in F Major, H. 62— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott
Field: Prelude in C Minor (Upright Piano)— Alice Sara Ott
Performed by Alice Sara Ott