Page "John Field (composer)" Paragraph 9

Partly as a result of his extravagant lifestyle, Field's health began deteriorating by the mid-1820s.

From about 1823 his concert appearances started decreasing ; by the late 1820's he was suffering from rectal cancer.

Field left for London to seek medical attention.

He arrived in September 1831 and, after an operation, gave concerts there and in Manchester.

He stayed in England for some time, meeting distinguished figures such as Mendelssohn and Moscheles.

In March 1832 his former teacher and friend Clementi died, and Field acted as pallbearer at his funeral.

On Christmas Day 1832 Field was in Paris, performing his seventh piano concerto, which received a mixed reaction, just as at his recent concerts in England.

After a series of concerts in various European cities, Field spent nine months ( 1834 – 5 ) in a Naples hospital.

His Russian patrons rescued him.

He briefly stayed with Carl Czerny in Vienna, where he gave three recitals, and then returned to Moscow with his son Adrien.

He gave his last concert in March 1836 and died in Moscow almost a year later, on 23 January 1837, from pneumonia.

He was buried in the Vvedenskoye Cemetery.

According to an eyewitness report, when asked on his deathbed what his religion was, Field replied with a characteristic pun: " I am not a Calvinist, but a Claveciniste.

" ( Claveciniste is the French for harpsicordist.