29 Facts About Muzio Clementi

Muzio Filippo Vincenzo Francesco Saverio Clementi was an Italian-British composer, virtuoso pianist, pedagogue, conductor, music publisher, editor, and piano manufacturer, who was mostly active in England.

Muzio Clementi was a notable influence on Ludwig van Beethoven and Frederic Chopin.

Muzio Clementi produced and promoted his own brand of pianos and was a notable music publisher.

Muzio Clementi was the eldest of the seven children of Nicolo Clementi, a silversmith, and Madalena,.

At the age of seven, Clementi began studies in figured bass with the organist S Giovanni Cordicelli, followed by voice lessons from Giuseppe Santarelli.

Muzio Clementi was impressed by the young Clementi's musical talent and negotiated with his father to take him to his estate, Stepleton House, north of Blandford Forum in Dorset, England.

In 1770 Muzio Clementi made his first public performance as an organist.

In 1774 Muzio Clementi was freed from his obligations to Peter Beckford.

Muzio Clementi made several public appearances in London as a solo harpsichordist at benefit concerts for two local musicians, a singer and a harpist, and served as conductor at the King's Theatre, Haymarket, for at least part of this time.

Muzio Clementi started a three-year European tour in 1780, traveling to Paris, France, where he performed for Queen Marie Antoinette; Munich, Germany; and Salzburg, Austria.

At the time, Muzio Clementi was exploring a more virtuosic and flamboyant style, and this might explain Mozart's disparaging attitude.

From 1783, and for the next twenty years, Muzio Clementi stayed in England, playing the piano, conducting, and teaching.

In 1798, Muzio Clementi took over the firm Longman and Broderip at 26 Cheapside, initially with James Longman, who left in 1801.

Muzio Clementi had offices at 195 Tottenham Court Road from 1806.

That same year, Muzio Clementi made an agreement with Ludwig van Beethoven, which gave him full publishing rights to all of Beethoven's music in England.

Muzio Clementi edited and interpreted Beethoven's music but has received criticism for editorial work such as making harmonic "corrections" to some of Beethoven's scores.

In 1810, Muzio Clementi stopped performing in order to devote his time to composition and to piano making.

In 1813 Muzio Clementi was appointed a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.

Muzio Clementi returned to London in June 1818, after stopping off in Frankfurt.

In 1826 Muzio Clementi completed his collection of keyboard studies, Gradus ad Parnassum, and set off for Paris with the intention of publishing the third volume of the work simultaneously in Paris, London, and Leipzig.

Moscheles, in his diary, says that on that occasion Muzio Clementi improvised at the piano on a theme by George Frideric Handel.

Muzio Clementi moved with his wife Emma and his family to the outskirts of Lichfield, Staffordshire and rented 'Lincroft House' on the Earl of Lichfield's Estate from Lady Day 1828 until late 1831.

Muzio Clementi then moved to Evesham where he died on 10 March 1832, after a short illness, aged eighty.

Muzio Clementi had five children; by his first wife, Caroline, he had a son who died soon after his birth; by his wife Emma he had two sons and two daughters.

Muzio Clementi successfully performed his symphonies in London and other cities in Europe, predominantly from 1813 to 1828.

Muzio Clementi used the theme to "God Save the King" in his Symphony No 3 in G major often called the "Great National Symphony", cataloged as WoO 34.

Muzio Clementi's influence extended well into the 19th century, with composers using his sonatas as models for their keyboard compositions.

Muzio Clementi considered his works excellent as studies for practise, for the formation of a pure taste, and as truly beautiful subjects for performance.

Muzio Clementi recorded five of Clementi's Sonatas along with shorter pieces.