John Field-Part 4
Almost immediately his father apprenticed the boy to Muzio Clementi, who at once recognized Field's genius.
The fact of Field pere giving a fee of a hundred guineas to Clementi for the apprenticeship of his son represents a heavy sacrifice, and is distinctly to the credit of Robert Field. As early as 1794 Clementi announced the young Irish lad as his pupil, and we find Field performing a sonata of Clementi at Barthelemon's concert. The fiction of the age was still kept up, and the advertisements described Master Field as "ten years of age."
Mr. Arthur F. Hill, F.S.A., has an autograph manuscript of a musical fragment composed by Field in 1794. His first published composition was Del Caro's Hornpipe, with Variations, printed by Broderip in 1797. Twentieth century readers may be interested to see the melody of this hornpipe, which remained popular till early Victorian days:
The Etude Magazine August 1915