Thursday, April 03, 2014
FIELD, JOHN(1782-1837)- remarkable violinist of his time + one of the british composers. b dublin. descended from a musical family. father a violinist, grandfather a organist, who was his teacher? family moved to london + F became a favorite pupil of clementi, who he joined on a trip to paris + in 1802, on a grand tour thru france, germany , + rome. under the auspices of his master, f appeared in public in most of the great capitals, especially in st petersburg, + in he stayed there, when clementi returned to england. during his stay w/ f had to suffer many privations owing to C's all but unexampled parsimony, but when the latter left russia, his capital became f's inheritance. fame + wealth were now within grasp owing to his grasp, but owing to his extravagant + dissipated way of life the composer was never free from care; + to the same cause his early end must be attributed. his marriage to a french lady of the name charpentier was anything but happy, + soon disolved. F made frequent concert tours to the chic cities of russia + in 1820 settled permanently in moscow. 1831 in england briefly + 4 years around france, germany + italy. in naples, fell ill + in hospital for several months till a russian family found him + took him back to moscow. he lingered a few more years + died 1837. F not prolific, but good. concerti, quartets, + nocturnes.
