Introduction
John Field (1782-1837) was an Irish composer admired by both Chopin and Liszt, who may be considered the ‘father’ of the great piano tradition of Russia. His legendary and enviable silken touch at the piano changed the way the instrument was played all over Europe.
JOHN Field made his Dublin debut as a pianist in 1792, aged ten, and a year later was whisked off to London and apprenticed to Muzio Clementi, building and demonstrating pianos in Clementi’s showrooms.
Following an accomplished performance of his own Piano Concerto in E flat in the King’s Theatre, London, when just sixteen, a glittering career beckoned. In 1802 it took him to Paris, St Petersburg and Moscow, where he settled from 1806, moving to St Petersburg in 1812. When not distracted by champagne, Havana cigars, and female company, Field excelled as a teacher, and the pianists of Russia and Western Europe flocked to him, coveting the Irishman’s silken touch and ability to make a piano sing.
Following another European tour, declining health brought Field’s public career to a close in 1835, and he died in Moscow two years later. But already he had changed the musical taste of a generation, and composers from Chopin to Mussorgsky have kept us in his debt ever since.
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Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Change. Move. Settle.
2 Cigar. Glitter. Sing.
3 Company. Concerto. Flock.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Career. 2 Tour. 3 Touch. 4 Keep. 5 Taste. 6 Age. 7 Change. 8 Move. 9 Close.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak
Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Touch. 2 Career. 3 Move. 4 Age. 5 Keep. 6 Taste. 7 Close. 8 Tour. 9 Make.
Variations: 1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats. 2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went. 3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
spn (6+1)
span. spin. spine. spoon. spun. supine.
aspen.
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