FieldJohn Field was
born in Dublin in Ireland in 1782. His
father was a violinist. John was an infant prodigy at ten years old, so at the
age of 11 his father took him to London to study under Clementi.
Haydn
heard him play the piano and remarked on his remarkable ability. By the age of
17 he was in great demand in London as a concert pianist, and his first piano
concerto was performed there.
As a composer, Field pioneered
romantic
piano music. The Nocturne was Field's invention, but later was used by
Chopin
with huge success. In 1802 Field went to St Petersburg and Moscow,
where he was adopted by the Russian
aristocracy. He stayed there for the rest of his life, apart from a short visit
to London for a year after he became ill. He died in Moscow in 1837.