Born in Ireland, educated in England and adopted by Russia, John Field became one of the most famous pianists at the beginning of the eighteenth century. His elegance at the keyboard, and charm in his association with high society, made him an idol among the aristocracy of Europe who vied with one another to obtain his services as a teacher for their children. That grace and musical sophistication also play an important rôle in his piano compositions, his seven delightful piano concertos creating a new mood of gentle romanticism later to be taken up by Chopin.