Release Date: 12 January 1999
Label: Naxos - Nxc / Naxos Classics
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 730099545228
Genres: Classical
Composer/Series: CLEMENTI
Description
Muzio Clementi (1752 - 1832)Piano Music Sonata in G Major, Op. 25 No.2 Sonata in F Sharp Minor, Op. 25 No.5 Sonatina in D Major, Op. 37 No.2 Six Progressive Sonatinas, Op. 36 Sonatina in D Major, Op. 36 No.6 Sonatina in G Major, Op. 36 No.5 Sonatina in G Major, Op. 36 No.2 Sonatina in C Major, Op. 36 No.1 Sonatina in C Major, Op. 36 No.3 Sonatina in F Major, Op. 36 No.4 Sonata in B Flat Major, Op. 24 No.2Muzio Clernenti was born in Rome in 1752, the son of a silversmith. By the age of thirteen he had become proficient enough as a musician to be employedas organist at the Church of S. Lorenzo in Damaso and to attract the attention of anEnglish visitor, Peter Beckford, a cousin of William Beckford, author of Vathek andbuilder of the remarkable Gothic folly of Fonthill. Peter Beckford, as he himself claimed,bought Clementi from his father for a period of seven years, during which the boy lived atBeckford's estate in Darset, perfecting his ability as a keyboard player and, presumably,his general education. In 1774 Clernenti moved to London, where he began to take part inprofessional concert life as a composer and performer, playing his own sonatas, some ofwhich were published at this time, and directing performances at the Italian opera.Clementi's success as a performer persuaded him to travel andin 1780 he played for Queen Marie Antoinette in France and early in 1782 for her brother,the Emperor Joseph II, in Vienna. Mozart met Clementi in January, when they were bothsummoned to play for the Emperor. Clementi improvised and then played a sonata, accordingto his later account, the Sonata in B flat major,Opus 24 No.2, and the Toccata, Opus 11.Mozart then played and both of them shared the performance of sonatas by Paisiello, andimprovised on a theme from one of the sonatas on two pianos. Mozart had a poor opinion ofClementi's musical taste and feeling, but grudgingly admitted his technical ability inright-hand playing of passages in thirds: in other respects he was a mere mechanicus. Ayear later he wrote again about his rival, describing him as ciarlatano, a charlatan, likeall Italians, writing the direction Presto on his music, but playing merely Allegro, andadding that his sonatas were worthless: the passages in sixths and octaves he consideredstriking, but dangerous for his sister to practise and potentially damaging to herlightness of touch.Mozart's opinion of Clementi has proved damaging to thelatter's reputation but it is possible that Mozart and Vienna suggested new styles ofplaying to Clementi, who returned to England in 1785, winning a distinguished place forhimself through the brilliance of his playing and for his piano teaching. He wrotesymphonies and concertos, but found his position threatened during Haydn's two visits toLondon in the 1790s. In the same decade he involved himself in piano manufacture and musicpublishing with Longman and Broderip and from 1798, after the firm's bankruptcy, inpartnership with Longman, Hyde, Banger and Collar
Tracklisting
Dariia Lytvishko
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Marin Alsop
Alice Di Piazza; Basel Sinfonietta; NDR Bigband; Titus Engel
Anna Alas i Jove; Miquel Villalba
David Childs; Black Dyke Band; Nicholas Childs
Yaqi Yang; Margarita Parsamyan; Robynne Redmon; Minghao Liu; Frank Ragsdale; Kim Josephson; Kevin S
Vilmos Csikos; Olivier Lechardeur; Manon Lamaison
Tomas Cotik; Martingale Ensemble; Ken Selden
