Muzio Clementi

Born Jan. 23, 1752, in Rome; died Mar. 10, 1832, in Evesham, England. Pianist, teacher, composer, and conductor. Italian by nationality.

Clementi lived in England from 1766. He was a famous virtuoso pianist and teacher (his pupils included J. Cramer, I. Moscheles, and J. Field) and led the London school of piano technique. He spent many years in the early 19th century on the Continent (including Russia in 1802 and 1804–05). His piano works are his most valuable contribution to music. Clementi was one of the creators of the classical sonata form for piano. His études (the collection Gradus ad Parnassum) are still part of the contemporary pedagogic repertoire. Clementi synthesized his experience and knowledge as a performer and teacher in Method for the Piano (published in 1801; Russian translation, dementi’s Easy Method for Learning to Play the Piano, c. 1818). He owned several music publishing firms and a piano factory.