John Field - Piano Music Vol. 2 (Benjamin Frith)

Information

Composer: John Field

1. Nocturne No. 10 in E minor
2. Nocturne No. 11 in E flat major
3. Nocturne No. 12 in G major
4. Nocturne No. 13 in D minor
5. Nocturne No. 14 in C major
6. Sonata in C minor, Op. 1, No. 3: I. Non troppo allegro, ma con fuoco e con espressione
7. Sonata in C minor, Op. 1, No. 3: II. Rondo: Allegretto scherzando
8. Nocturne No. 15 in C major
9. Nocturne No. 16 in F major
10. Nocturne No. 17 in E major
11. 'Midi' (Nocturne No. 18) in E major

Benjamin Frith, piano
Date: 2000
Label: Naxos
https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.550762

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Review

The first volume of this series (Naxos 8.550761) mixed the first two sonatas of Field's Op. 1 with the first nine Nocturnes. The Sonata Op. 1 No. 3 in C minor logically appears on this second volume, in a most successful performance. Dedicated to Clementi, the first movement shows distinct tendencies towards 'Sturm und Drang'. Neither movement is fast: the concluding Rondo (marked Allegretto scherzando) is bursting with wit and charm to balance the stress of the first. This piece alone justifies the modest outlay for this disc.

The remaining tracks, the next nine Nocturnes in the series, demonstrate Frith's sensitivity. Importantly, he shows a laudable restraint with the sustaining pedal. His sweet cantabile is the result of an acute musical sensitivity, and he never overblows the scale of these miniatures. Thus No. 10 in F minor and No. 13 in D minor emerge as languorous, melancholy outpourings. He manages to sustain the length of No. 14 in C well (it lasts just under ten minutes) and he enjoys the filigree decorations of No. 17 in E. Some of these pieces appear in other guises elsewhere: No. 12 in G is also the slow movement to Field's Piano Concerto No. 7, and No. 16 in F also exists in a version for piano and strings. The quiet, restrained closing 'Midi' Rondo (Nocturne) in E is the perfect quiet, satisfying end to a disc that will bring pleasure.

The recording captures the treble of the piano particularly well, although it deals less well with the louder dynamics (luckily infrequent in this repertoire). Recommended.

-- Colin Clarke, MusicWeb International

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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.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Field_(composer)

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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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