An influence on Chopin, Liszt and many lesser composers, John Field is better remembered as ‘the inventor of the nocturne’ than for the actual music that did the trick. He was good at being forgotten, and even better at forgetting. Perhaps the greatest pianist of his generation, he was eventually eclipsed, as composer and performer alike, by those of greater daring, and greater genius. Today, belatedly, we are rediscovering the music behind the man. But the man behind the music is more intriguing still. This profile of Field includes an hour of music by the composer. Audio samples are contained in the text: just tap to listen while you read.
