Internationally Acclaimed Pianist Alice Sara Ott Releases The Complete Nocturnes Of Irish Composer John Field Ahead Of Her National Concert Hall Recital On The 27th Of February

An exciting and ground-breaking artist, pianist Alice Sara Ott will perform her highly anticipated National Concert Hall recital on the 27th of February performing works by Irish composer John Field and Beethoven.

Her recital is part of a 17-city European tour by Ott celebrating the release of her new album on Deutsche Grammophon (DG) ‘John Field: The Complete Nocturnes’ (to be released on the 7th of February ‘25). Ott’s recording of Field’s 18 Nocturnes celebrates the music of the man known as the “father of the nocturne”. Not only is this the first full cycle to be issued on DG, it is also the first ever to benefit from the immersive sound of Dolby Atmos. 

Commenting on her new album, Alice Sara Ott explains:

"I discovered John Field’s Nocturnes during the COVID-19 pandemic when I was looking at various Nocturnes for a playlist that I wanted to create for myself. I knew about the existence of John Field as a composer, but nothing more. He was not a part of my education, and I did not know anyone who played his music. When I started listening to pieces by him a few years ago, it was a surprise to me how some of the melodies in his Nocturnes sounded so familiar even though I had never heard them before. I was immediately spellbound by them. This led me to do more research about the composer who lived at the same time as Beethoven and was - based on the numerous publications across Europe and written testaments by those who witnessed him - very much in demand as a performer and composer at the time. It was John Field who developed a form of music that he called the “Nocturne”. This genre hugely influenced Frederic Chopin and many others and still remains one of the most popular styles of music form to this day, while John Field has become an almost forgotten name. There is something very intriguing about the serenity and simplicity of Field’s Nocturnes and yet they are full of harmonic twists and rhythmic surprises. These Nocturnes are incredibly beautiful pieces, and I had a wonderful time working on them. I still cannot help but smile whenever I play one of those sparkling and somewhat improvisational ornamentations. 

I am very glad to have discovered these historically important eighteen Nocturnes by John Field, which were recovered and collected by admirers of him like Franz Liszt and add them to the Deutsche Grammophon catalogue. I hope that they inspire others to discover them and that these Nocturnes be performed and heard more frequently. For the live concerts that I will perform in Spring 2025, I decided to juxtapose Field’s Nocturnes with a selection of Sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven. While I was learning Field’s Nocturnes, the composer I was most reminded of was Beethoven. I thought it would present an interesting challenge to put them together in a programme, and tell the story of two composers who lived at the same time. While one of them gained immortal fame and popularity, the other’s existence got almost forgotten."

For the NCH recital on the 27th of February Alice Sara Ott performs three of Beethoven’s most distinctive Piano Sonatas, the deeply affecting 19th, the intimate and lyrical 30th, his ever-popular Moonlight, interspersed with a selection of watercolour-delicate Nocturnes by the Irish composer John Field.

This concert is part of the National Concert Hall’s International Concert Season '24/’25.

 Click here for full details of her recital at the National Concert Hall, 27th February.  This concert is part of the National Concert Hall’s International Concert Season '24/’25.  

ENDS

Media Queries: Sinéad Doyle, Marketing & PR Manager, National Concert Hall (NCH), Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2. Tel: 087 1775334 or Roisin Dwyer, PR & Publications Executive, NCH. E-mail: Roisin.Dwyer@nch.ie or 088 7129628.

EISÍONN AN PIANÓDÓIR ALICE SARA OTT, A BHFUIL CÁIL IDIRNÁISIÚNTA UIRTHI, NOCTHRAITHE IOMLÁN AN CHUMADÓRA ÉIREANNAIGH JOHN FIELD ROIMH A HAITHRIS SA CHEOLÁRAS NÁISIÚNTA AR AN 27th FEABHRA 

Déanfaidh ealaíontóir spreagúil úrnua, an pianódóir Alice Sara Ott a haithris sa Cheoláras Náisiúnta ar an 27 Feabhra ag léiriú saothair leis an gcumadóir Éireannach John Field agus Beethoven.

Tá a haithris mar chuid de chamchuairt Eorpach 17 gcathair le Ott ag ceiliúradh eisiúint an albaim nua ar Deutsche Grammophon (DG) ‘John Field: The Complete Nocturnes’ (le eisiúint ar an 7 Feabhra ‘25). Déanann taifeadadh Ott de Field’s 18 Nocturnes ceiliúradh ar cheol an fhir ar a dtugtar “father of the nocturne”. Ní hamháin gurb é seo an chéad timthriall iomlán a eiseofar ar DG, is é an chéad uair riamh leas a bhaint as fuaim thumoideachais Dolby Atmos. 

Faoi "John Field's Nocturnes" le Alice Sara Ott“D’aimsigh mé

"John Field's Nocturnes" le linn na paindéime COVID-19 nuair a bhí mé ag féachaint ar nochtraithe éagsúla le haghaidh seinnliosta a theastaigh uaim a chruthú dom féin. Bhí a fhios agam go raibh John Field mar chumadóir, ach ní raibh rud ar bith eile ar eolas agam faoi. Ní dhearna mé staidéar air, agus ní raibh aithne agam ar aon duine a bhí ag seinm a chuid ceoil. Nuair a thosaigh mé ag éisteacht le píosaí uaidh cúpla bliain ó shin, ba mhór an t-iontas dom an chaoi a raibh an-aithne ar chuid de na séiseanna ina nochtraithe cé nár chuala mé riamh iad. Bhí mé faoi gheasa láithreach acu. Mar thoradh air seo rinne mé níos mó taighde ar an gcumadóir a raibh beo ag an am céanna le Beethoven agus a raibh an-éileamh air mar thaibheoir agus cumadóir ag an am - bunaithe ar an iliomad foilseachán ar fud na hEorpa agus teistiméireachtaí scríofa acu siúd a chonaic é. Ba é John Field a d’fhorbair cineál ceoil ar a dtug sé an “Nocturne”. Chuaigh an seánra seo i bhfeidhm go mór ar Frederic Chopin agus ar chuid mhór daoine eile agus tá sé fós ar cheann de na stíleanna foirme ceoil is coitianta go dtí an lá atá inniu ann, agus tá John Field ina ainm nach mór dearmadta.Tá rud éigin an-suimiúil faoi shuaimhneas agus simplíocht nochtraithe Field ach fós féin tá siad lán le casadh armónach agus iontas rithimeach. Is píosaí thar a bheith álainn iad na nochtraithe seo, agus bhí am iontach agam ag obair orthu. Ní féidir liom ach meangadh gáire a dhéanamh aon uair a sheinnim ceann de na ornáidí súilíneacha agus beagán seiftithe sin.

Tá an-áthas orm na hocht nochtraí déag seo a bhfuil tábhacht stairiúil leo le John Field a aimsiú, a d'aisghabh agus a bhailigh daoine a raibh meas acu air mar Franz Liszt agus a chuir le catalóg Deutsche Grammophon iad. Tá súil agam go spreagfaidh siad daoine eile chun iad a aimsiú agus go ndéanfar na nochtraithe seo a chur ar stáitse agus a chloisteáil níos minice. Le haghaidh na gceolchoirmeacha beo a bheidh ar siúl agam in Earrach 2025, chinn mé nochtraithe Field a chur le chéile le rogha Sonáid le Ludwig van Beethoven. Agus mé ag foghlaim nochtraithe Field, ba é Beethoven an cumadóir ba mhó a mheabhraíodh dom. Shíl mé go mbeadh sé ina dhúshlán suimiúil iad a chur le chéile i gclár, agus scéal beirt chumadóirí a insint a bhí beo ag an am céanna. Cé gur bhain duine acu clú agus cáil amach gan bás, is beag dearmad a rinneadh ar an duine eile."

Le haghaidh aithris an NCH ar an 27 Feabhra, seinnfidh Alice Sara Ott trí cinn de Sonáid Pianó is suntasaí Beethoven, an 19ú mór-thionchar, an 30ú pearsanta agus liriciúil, a 'Moonlight' móréilimh, ina measc rogha de nochtraithe uiscedhath-íogair leis an gcumadóir Éireannach John Field.

Tá an cheolchoirm seo mar chuid de Shéasúr na gCeolchoirmeacha Idirnáisiúnta ‘24/’25 de chuid an Cheolárais Náisiúnta. 

 Cliceáil anseo le haghaidh sonraí iomlána a haithrise sa Cheoláras Náisiúnta, 27^ú Feabhra. 

CRÍOCH

Ceisteanna Meáin: Sinead Doyle, Bainisteoir Margaíochta & Caidreamh Poiblí, An Ceoláras Náisiúnta, Ardán Phort an Iarla, Baile Átha Cliath 2. Fón: 087 1775334 / Roisin Dwyer, 085-7129628.