Piano Concerto No. 2 in A-flat major

Field's Second Piano Concerto in A♭ major (H. 31) is historically the most significant of his seven concertos — its direct influence on Chopin's two piano concertos (both also in a dreamy, singing mode with orchestral support held in careful subordination to the piano) is well-documented. The slow movement, with its elaborate, ornamented melody over a murmuring accompaniment, is essentially a concerto version of a nocturne. Clara Schumann included the concerto in her teaching, and it was widely performed in the 1830s-1850s before disappearing from the repertoire. The modern rediscovery of Field's concertos — aided by recordings on the Naxos and Brilliant labels — has restored the Second to its rightful place as a charming and historically crucial work.

The Second Concerto rewards a chamber-music rather than a grand-Romantic approach: the orchestral writing is light and transparent, and the piano should float above it rather than compete with it. In the slow movement, sustain the long melodic phrases with the breath of a singer; ornaments should be flexible and singing, not mechanical. The finale is elegant and graceful rather than brilliant in the Romantic virtuoso sense, and should be paced accordingly. Think Hummel or early Chopin rather than Liszt.