Clementi - Piano Music

Muzio Clementi

Muzio Clementi (1752-1832) was born in Rome, the eldest of seven children. He was taught the basics of music by the local church choirmaster. Later he started learning the organ, and made such sensational progress that he obtained a position as church organist when he was still in his early teens. In 1766 Clementi was taken to England by the wealthy Englishman Sir Peter Beckford, who provided for his lodging and musical education in return for musical entertainment at his estate in Dorset. His public debut as a pianist a few years later was a tremendous success. He moved to London, where he performed frequently as a soloist and directed concerts from the keyboard. Later, he went on tour as far as St. Petersburg, and by the 1780s he was considered one of the great keyboard virtuosos of the world. His reputation irritated Mozart, who described him as a charlatan. Clementi, on the other hand, was a real admirer of Mozart, but developed a completely different piano style, with great dynamic contrasts, rapid octaves and thundering arpeggios, paving the way for Beethoven and the romantics.
A piano contest between Clementi and Mozart in Vienna was more or less declared a draw. Clementi led a very productive life in London, playing, conducting, teaching (his pupils include J. B. Cramer and John Field) and manufacturing pianos.
Eventually he abandoned his performing career to spend more time building pianos and composing. His works include vocal and chamber works, symphonies, a piano concerto, and over a hundred piano sonatas and sonatinas. The easier sonatinas and his three volumes of studies called Gradus ad Parnassum have been central to piano teaching ever since. His other works have suffered from widespread neglect, perhaps because of Mozart´s unkind comments.
Vladimir Horowitz was one of the very few major pianists of the 20th century who appreciated Clementi´s music - since his time the composer has slowly begun to attract more interest. Clementi died a very rich man, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Mozart (letter to his father): "Clementi plays well, as far as execution with the right hand goes. His greatest strength lies in his passages in 3rds. Apart from that, he has not a kreuzer’s worth of taste or feeling – in short he is a mere mechanicus"

Clementi about Mozart: "Until then I had never heard anyone play with such spirit and grace".

Clementi Piano Sheet Music

for digital devices or to download & print

Total pieces by Clementi: 53

ID:36
TitleKey YearLevel

All pieces:


Sonatinas

Sonatina Op. 36 No. 1C Major 17973
Sonatina - 5th revised edition Op. 36 No. 1C Major 17973
Sonatina Op. 36 No. 2G Major 17974
Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3C Major 17974
Sonatina Op. 36 No. 4F Major 17975
Sonatina Op. 36 No. 5G Major 17976
Sonatina Op. 36 No. 6D Major 17976
Sonatina Op. 37 No. 1E-flat Major 17805
Sonatina Op. 37 No. 2D Major 17805
Sonatina Op. 37 No. 3C Major 17805
Sonatina Op. 38 No. 1G Major 17805
Sonatina Op. 38 No. 2B-flat Major 17805
Sonatina Op. 38 No. 3F Major 17806

Sonatas

Sonata Op. 7 No. 3G Minor 17828
Sonata Op. 13 No. 6F Minor 17858
Sonata Op. 25 No. 2G Major 17908
Sonata Op. 25 No. 5F-sharp Minor 17908
Sonata Op. 25 No. 6D Major 17908
Sonata Op. 33 No. 1A Major 17948
Sonata Op. 40 No. 1G Major 18028+
Sonata Op. 40 No. 2B Minor 18028+
Sonata Op. 40 No. 3D Minor 18028+
Sonata (Didone abbandonata) Op. 50 No. 3G Minor 18218+

Gradus ad Parnassum

2. Study F Major 18177
3. Study F Major 18178
5. Study B-flat Major 18178
7. Study D Major 18178
9. Study A Major 18178
12. Study C Major 18177
16. Study C Major 18176
17. Study C Major 18177
19. Study A Minor 18178
21. Study E-flat Major 18178+
22. Study A-flat Major 18178+
23. Study C Major 18178+
24. Study F-sharp Minor 18178+
27. Study B Major 18178+
28. Study B Major 18178
30. Study E Minor 18178+
31. Study C Major 18178
34. Study A Minor 18178
36. Study A Major 18178+
44. Study F Minor 18178+
47. Study B-flat Major 18178+
50. Study G Major 18177
63. Study E-flat Major 18178
65. Study F Major 18178+
76. Study E Major 18178+
77. Study G Major 18178
78. Study G Major 18178
87. Study D Major 18178
95. Study C Major 18178

Miscellaneous pieces

Arietta Op. 42C Major 18011


Forum posts about Muzio Clementi

Two Recital Ideas by swilliams002
Hello everyone, (warning - LONG post!) This next year is going to be a busy one for me in terms of performing. I'm planning at least two...

Clementi & Field by thalbergmad
Indeed i have been reading an interesting book on the life of Field and his music. I had read before that Clementi had treated Field little...

Re: Muzio Clementi by Barbosa-piano
I think Clementi is a great composer that has been ignored for a great deal of time. His Sonatinas are masterpieces, and his Gradus ad Parn...

Re: Muzio Clementi by musicsdarkangel
Clementi was known to be a better virtuoso than Mozart. Mozart was bitter to him, they had a duel, and Clementi complimented Mozart even t...

Re: Muzio Clementi by Bernhard
I agree. And so did Beethoven. He thought Clementi piano sonatas were superior to Mozart's. He also gave his students Clementi's...