"Field::Nokturn::Chopin" panel discussion

The "Field::Nokturn::Chopin" recital took place on 25th June 2025 in the Royal Irish Academy of Music to mark the conclusion of Poland’s second EU Presidency. The piano recital featured world première performances of nocturnes composed by the following Irish and Polish composers: Benjamin Dwyer, François Hildebrandt, Aoife Kavanagh and Paweł Łukaszewski, in response to selected nocturnes by John Field and Fryderyk Chopin. Both the classical nocturnes and the new compositions responding to them were performed on the night by renowned pianists Finghin Collins and Tamara Niekludow. Ahead of the performances, the composers and the pianists were joined on stage by Artistic Director Linda O'Shea Farren to discuss the new compositions and performances. Watch this interesting and insightful conversation. We wish to thank RTÉ lyric fm for sharing this audio recording with us. To watch the concert go to:    • "Field::Nokturn::Chopin" Gala Concert  

The concert programme:
1. Op 27, No. 2 in D flat major by Fryderyk Chopin performed by Tamara Niekludow
2. World première by Tamara Niekludow of Dreamscape by Aoife Kavanagh in response to Op 27, No. 2 by Chopin.
3. Nocturne in E minor by John Field performed by Finghin Collins
4. World première by Tamara Niekludow of AUTUMNOCTURNE by Paweł Łukaszewski in response to Nocturne in E minor by Field
5. Nocturne in E Major by John Field performed by Tamara Niekludow
6. Nocturne in A Major by John Field performed by Finghin Collins
7. World première by Finghin Collins of Nocturne no 1 by François Hildebrandt in response to Nocturne in A Major by Field.
8. Op 48, No. 1 in C minor by Fryderyk Chopin performed by Finghin Collins
9. World première by Finghin Collins of Zmierzch by Benjamin Dwyer in response to Op 48, No. 1 by Chopin


Background Information:

Creating the nocturne form, Irish composer and pianist John Field (1782-1837) composed 18 nocturnes for solo piano over a period of about 15 years, starting in 1812. Building on the nocturne form, Polish composer and pianist Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849) composed 21 nocturnes between the years 1827 and 1846. As Field created the nocturne form and Chopin was its greatest promoter, this musical marriage at the heart of the heritage of both countries is a worthy nexus for Poland in Ireland. Field’s nocturnes are inspired by, or evocative of, the night.
Representing a bridge between the classical and romantic eras, they are single-movement character pieces for solo piano featuring a songlike cantabile melody in the right hand and an accompaniment of arpeggiated chords in the left hand. Sustained notes through extensive use of the pedal gives emotional expression to the music. Using a relatively simplistic harmonic grammar to create a pastoral mood with a delicate melody, they provide pianists with an opportunity to explore nuanced phrasing and dynamics in an intimate expression of emotion.
Chopin was a great admirer of Field, whose nocturnes had a significant influence on him. Chopin composed his first nocturne around the time when Field was completing his own (although some were published posthumously), and Chopin had composed five of his nocturnes before meeting Field in 1832. Expanding on Field’s nocturne, Chopin’s nocturnes are more virtuosic in nature while still maintaining the essential features in the right hand, left hand and use of pedal. Chopin made his mark on the nocturne through a more freely flowing rhythm, his use of counterpoint to create tension and dramatic tone and by taking inspiration generally from Italian and French opera arias as well as sonata-like ternary form.

As part of a cultural exchange, one established composer and one emerging composer from each country was selected - Paweł Łukaszewski and François Hildebrandt from Poland and Benjamin Dwyer and Aoife Kavanagh from Ireland - and the established composer from each country mentored the emerging composer from the other country. Field Nocturnes were chosen by the Polish composers and Chopin Nocturnes were chosen by the Irish composers, and new works responding to their chosen nocturnes were commissioned from these four composers.
The world premières of these four new nocturnes will be performed by Irish pianist Finghin Collins and Polish pianist Tamara Niekludow, preceded by the Field or Chopin nocturne by which they were inspired.
While the composers were given freedom to choose a nocturne to which their new work would respond, they chose nocturnes in different keys - Field’s Nocturne No. 4 in A major and Nocturne No. 10 in E minor, and Chopin’s Op 27, No. 2 in D flat major and Op. 48, No. 1 in C minor. Likewise, these four composers took very different approaches to their new works - Zmierzch by Benjamin Dwyer, Nocturne no 1 by François Hildebrandt, Dreamscape by Aoife Kavanagh and AUTUMNOCTURNE by Paweł Łukaszewski - some leaning into the traditional nocturne form and others striking a more contemporary take.