Field: Piano Concertos Nos. 5 & 6

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Benjamin Frith proves an ideal soloist in these attractive, decorative pieces. Like his close contemporary, Hummel, Field is much more adept at embroidering the themes which bubble from him than... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Catalogue No: 8554221
Label: Naxos
Length: 57 minutes

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

Field: Piano Concerto No. 5 in C major, 'L'incendie par l'orage', H39

Work length26:45

$7.00

$9.05

Benjamin Frith (piano)
Northern Sinfonia
David Haslam

I. Allegro moderato

Track length17:02

$4.00

$5.15

II. Adagio

Track length2:02

$1.00

$1.30

III. Rondo allegro

Track length7:41

$2.00

$2.60

Field: Piano Concerto No. 6 in C major, H49

Work length30:38

$6.00

$7.75

Benjamin Frith (piano)
Northern Sinfonia
David Haslam

I. Allegro moderato

Track length19:22

$4.00

$5.15

II. Larghetto

Track length5:36

$1.00

$1.30

III. Rondo moderato

Track length5:40

$1.00

$1.30

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

Benjamin Frith proves an ideal soloist in these attractive, decorative pieces. Like his close contemporary, Hummel, Field is much more adept at embroidering the themes which bubble from him than at developing them in a conventional way. The passagework which can seem just trivial needs both the virtuosity and the artistry of a pianist of charm such as Frith if it's to come fully alive and compel attention, as it does here.
Frith's articulation is sparklingly clear throughout with rapid scales and decorations pearly and wonderfully even, helped by the relatively intimate acoustic of the theatre in Gosforth where the recordings were made.
The title of the Fifth Concerto, L'incendie parl'orage ('Fire from the Storm'), is inspired by the passage of storm music towards the end of the central development section in the first movement.
Surprisingly Field, the inventor of the nocturne and inspirer of Chopin, here avoids a full slow movement, contenting himself instead with a slow introduction to the jaunty finale. At least he makes amends in the Sixth Concerto, where the central Larghetto slow movement is a nocturne in everything but name, with soaring cantilena for the piano which might well have inspired Bellini. The finale is a sparkling polkalike movement, with passagework breathtakingly elaborate, which Frith rightly treats as fun music, a fine pay-off. Haslam and the Northern Sinfonia are well recorded, too, in the relatively small-scale acoustic.

Field: Piano Concertos Nos. 5 & 6

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