The Irish composer and pianist John Field (1782–1837) is still regarded today as the “father of the nocturne”, having established a genre that would later inspire Chopin and generations of Romantic piano composers.

His exceptional talent as a pianist became apparent at an early age and was further nurtured by Muzio Clementi, who took Field on as a pupil in London.

The first three piano sonatas were composed in 1801, when Field was not yet twenty. They combine the Classical sonata tradition with the lyrical and poetic musical language that would later become characteristic of his music. While the opening movements still reveal an affinity with Beethoven, lively minuets provide effective contrasts. Sonata No. 4, composed 16 years later, shows Field with a more refined and harmonically richer musical language.

The sonatas are complemented by a selection of shorter piano works, including the Rondo on Del Caro’s Hornpipe, the Yearning Waltz, Variations on a Russian Folksong and the Andante inédit. They broaden the picture of a composer who today is associated primarily with his nocturnes, but whose output for the piano was considerably more diverse.

Field’s sonatas only began to attract wider attention in the 1970s, when they were first recorded. Together with the shorter works on this recording, they invite listeners to discover lesser-known aspects of a composer whose music played an important role in inspiring the development of Romantic piano music.

The performer on this recording is British pianist Tyler Hay, who has made a name for himself particularly through his interpretations of demanding and rarely heard piano repertoire. His recording of the piano works of John Ogdon for Piano Classics received considerable critical acclaim. Hay has already made several recordings for Piano Classics and Brilliant Classics.