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Wednesday, October 11, 2017

John Field - Piano Music Vol. 1 (Benjamin Frith)


Information

Composer: John Field
  1. Nocturne No. 1 in E flat major
  2. Nocturne No. 2 in C minor
  3. Nocturne No. 3 in A flat major
  4. Nocturne No. 4 in A major
  5. Nocturne No. 5 in B flat major
  6. Sonata in E flat major, Op. 1, No. 1: I. Allegro moderato
  7. Sonata in E flat major, Op. 1, No. 1: II. Rondo: Allegro
  8. Nocturne No. 6 in F major
  9. Nocturne No. 7 in C major
  10. Nocturne No. 8 in A major
  11. Sonata in A major, Op. 1, No. 2: I. Allegro vivace
  12. Sonata in A major, Op. 1, No. 2: II. Allegro vivace
  13. Nocturne No. 9 in E flat major

Benjamin Frith, piano
Date: 1999
Label: Naxos
https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.550761


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Review

Benjamin Frith's playing of Field's Nocturnes has warmth and sensitivity, although his understated manner is perhaps too restricted

The piano music of John Field is the subject of Benjamin Frith's latest survey, and the impression made by this first volume is mixed. On the face of it, Frith has many of the attributes required by this music: he is very good at creating a soft-focus haze well suited to the Nocturnes, projects the melodic line calmly and without overdone rubato or theatrical effects, is unfailingly tasteful, and always produces an attractive tone.

You can feel a 'but' coming, can't you? What I really miss in Frith's approach to the Nocturnes is a sense of something being consoled. His manner is consoling, in a generalised way, but what is it consoling? There is no sadness, no intensity, very little drama; his playing is clean and pretty, and thoroughly musical, but overall just a little bland. Frith creates a mood of calm reflection that is rewarding, but is also limiting in its expressive and communicative scope. His dynamic range gives a small-scale image, rarely rising above a mezzo-forte, and at moments when you sense he might open out or increase the dramatic tension, he tends to retreat into the protective shell of his graceful but withdrawn style. Some listeners will no doubt have a greater appreciation of the gentle coolness of Frith's approach - it is by no means unidiomatic, but is surely too reserved.

The two sonatas offer a more varied expressive profile, and Frith conveys a more spirited and passionate persona. The highlight of the disc is his wonderfully characterful and buoyant articulation of the Rondo from the E flat Sonata, Op 1 No 1 (track 7). There is more contrast in the A major Sonata, too, although this performance is marred by the recorded sound, which gives the upper register a jarring and brittle hollowness. Naxos does seem to have some difficulty creating a truly excellent piano sound - this is better than most of its piano recordings, with a very good acoustic, but in louder passages the treble range of the instrument is given a percussive, xylophone-like image. However, this is less of a problem in the Nocturnes, where Frith's sensitive playing is portrayed in the most intimate terms.

-- Tim Parry, Gramophone

More reviews:
ClassicsToday  ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 9
BBC Music Magazine  PERFORMANCE: **** / SOUND: *****
https://www.amazon.com/Piano-Music-Vol-Nocturnes-Sonatas/dp/B000026CWC

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John Field (26 July 1782 [?], baptised 5 September 1782 – 23 January 1837) was an Irish pianist, composer, and teacher. Born in Dublin, Field studied with Tommaso Giordani there, before studied under Muzio Clementi in London, and quickly became a famous and sought-after concert pianist. Field was very highly regarded by his contemporaries and his playing and compositions influenced many major composers, including Frédéric Chopin, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, and Franz Liszt. Field is best known as the instigator of the nocturne, but there is evidence to suggest that this is a posthumous accolade.

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Benjamin Frith (born 1957 in South Yorkshire) is a British classical pianist. He was educated at the University of Leeds, and subsequently studied under Fanny Waterman. He has won several awards, including the Gold Medal at the 1989 Arthur Rubinstein Piano Competition in Israel. Frith has appeared with many of the world’s finest orchestra, under many leading conductors. His repertoire ranges from Bach to Tippett and includes over 50 concertos. Five of his discs are represented in the Gramophone – Best CD Guide. He is a member of the Gould Piano Trio and is a tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Frith

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