Wednesday 18 May 2016

Field - Nocturnes - Roe


Rating: 5/5

Review:
Lovely music, very well played



I think this is an excellent disc.  I review it with a little trepidation because it's not my normal repertoire, but I do think it's lovely music, very well played.

John Field was an Irish composer who is best known for inventing the Nocturne.  He was a fine composer and pianist whose work influenced Chopin, Brahms and others, so it's good to see him getting more recognition and this is a fine collection of all his Nocturnes.  They are very beautiful pieces – in my view often the equal of those by Chopin – with real emotional depth, genuine invention and above all a serene loveliness throughout.

Elizabeth Joy Roe plays them very well to my ears.  She brings out all their fine qualities and invests them with real beauty without ever slipping into sentimentality making this a pleasure to listen to.  I'm not sure I want to hear a whole CD of Nocturnes together that often, but individually or just a few at a time they are really, really good, I think.

I was surprised by how much I liked this disc, and I can recommend it very warmly.

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