OPUS KLASSIK 2025 Audiovisual Music Production of the Year
Featuring
Alice Sara Ott
John Field
Did you know?
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Cultural Impact
Even though Frédéric Chopin was sometimes critical of Field's performances, he was proud when his name was mentioned alongside Field's, and Franz Liszt edited and published a complete edition of Field's Nocturnes.
Composer Biography
John Field, born in Dublin in 1782, became a pupil of the musician and composer Muzio Clementi in London, working in Clementi's music shop to demonstrate instruments.
Composer Biography
Despite his musical genius, John Field was known for being chaotically disorganized and developed an addiction to French champagne and cognac, earning him the nickname 'Drunken John'.
Recording & Production
This album is the first complete recording of John Field's Nocturnes to be included in the Deutsche Grammophon catalogue.
Composition History
The genre of the Nocturne, often associated with Frédéric Chopin, was actually created by the Irish composer John Field, whose first three Nocturnes appeared in 1814.
Cultural Impact
John Field's influence on his contemporaries was significant, with figures like Friedrich Wieck (Clara Schumann's father) training his daughter in Field's 'magnificent' school, and Robert Schumann praising him in reviews.
Composer Biography
Field achieved great fame in St. Petersburg and Moscow, earning enough as a teacher to afford his own coach, and was renowned for his charismatic and breathtaking playing.
