Henry Ibbot Field (6 December 1797 – 19 May 1848), was an English classical pianist. Field was born at Bath on 6 December 1797, was the son of Thomas Field, for many years the organist at

Bath Abbey The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is a parish church of the Church of England and former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England. Founded in the 7th century, it was reorganised in the 10th ...

, by his wife, Mary Harvey, who died 15 June 1815. The father died 21 December 1831. Henry was the eldest of a family of seven children. He was educated first at Holdstock's Academy, and afterwards at the

Bath Grammar School King Edward's School (KES), Bath, Somerset, England is an independent co-educational day school providing education for 1,016 pupils aged 3 to 18. The school is a member of The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school was establi ...

. At a very early age he showed his aptitude for music. He was taught by his father, and afterwards by James Morris Coombs, the organist of

Chippenham Chippenham is a market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village ...

. In 1807, being then just ten years of age, he performed for the first time in public, in a duet with his father. On 15 June 1830 he played with Johann Hummel, in the latter's Grand Sonata, op. 92. He was a virtuoso performer, and known throughout his career as a musical instructor. He was popular in his native city, and generally known as 'Field of Bath'. Field was an acquaintance of

Charles-Valentin Alkan Charles-Valentin Alkan (; 30 November 1813 – 29 March 1888) was a French Jewish composer and virtuoso pianist. At the height of his fame in the 1830s and 1840s he was, alongside his friends and colleagues Frédéric Chopin and Franz Lisz ...

, and played the premiere of the latter's 'Second Concerto da camera', which was dedicated to him, at Bath in 1834 during Alkan's first visit to England. He was a good scholar in French, Italian, Spanish, and German. While working as teacher of music at

Prior Park College Prior Park College is a Mixed-sex education, mixed Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Public school (United Kingdom), public school for both day and boarding students. Situated on a hill overlooking the city of Bath, Somerset, Bath, Somerset, in s ...

, Field in 1835 was converted to Catholicism by the Rev. Dr. Gentili. He was formally received into that church by Bishop Baines during the winter of that year. He gave his last concert on 13 May 1848, in the

Bath Assembly Rooms The Bath Assembly Rooms, designed by John Wood the Younger in 1769, are a set of assembly rooms located in the heart of the World Heritage City of Bath in England which are now open to the public as a visitor attraction. They are designated as ...

. Whilst playing Wallace's ''Cracovienne'' he was suddenly struck down by a paralytic seizure. He died on 19 May 1848, aged 50, at the house of his brother Frederick, the surgeon, in Northumberland Buildings, Bath.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Field, Henry Ibbot 1797 births 1848 deaths 19th-century classical pianists English classical pianists Musicians from Bath, Somerset Schoolteachers from Somerset 19th-century English educators English Roman Catholics 19th-century Roman Catholics 19th-century English musicians