Field: Piano Music Vol.2 (Nocturnes Nos 10-18)

"Once again Naxos scores with a little-known pianist, and the program includes the last of Field's Op. 1 sonatas that he wrote in 1801. It is in two movements but shows considerable influence by Clementi and Dussek. It is a polished, rather simple work. The balance of the disc completes the Nocturnes that began on 550761 (May/June), including the rarely heard Nocturne 18, which is actually a rondo.

"They are beautifully played by the young British pianist Benjamin Frith. The recording is good and the notes are fine. All in all, this is an attractive bargain."
- American Record Guide (Carl Bauman), September-October, 2000

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Born in Ireland, educated in England and adopted by Russia, John Field became one of the most famous pianists of the early 19th century. His elegance at the keyboard, and charm in his association with high society, made him an idol among the aristocracy of Europe. Though Field was not the first to compose Nocturnes, he was certainly the first to develop a musical form that was to be popularised by the great romantic composers. His last group of works came after an extended period of ill health, their mixture of delightful filigree and charming melodic invention, being framed within a mood of melancholy.