Mozart had a poor opinion of Clementi's musical taste, dismissing him as a mere 'mechanicus' and 'ciarlatano', while Clementi was more generous in his assessment of Mozart.
Composer Biography
In 1766, Peter Beckford, an English visitor, "bought" Clementi from his father for seven years, during which Clementi lived on Beckford's estate in Dorset, England, to perfect his keyboard playing.
Historical Context
Clementi performed for Queen Marie Antoinette in France in 1780 and for her brother, Emperor Joseph II, in Vienna in 1782, where he met Mozart.
Performer Biography
Nicholas Rimmer, the pianist, holds a professorship for piano at the Freiburg University of Music as of 2019 and has a varied discography of over 20 albums.
Composer Biography
Muzio Clementi, the composer, was born in Rome in 1752, the son of a silversmith, and by age 13 was proficient enough to be an organist.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Clementi's legacy includes his teaching compositions, such as his 'Introduction to the Art of Playing the Piano Forte' and 'Gradus ad Parnassum', which introduced a new virtuosity and explored the possibilities of the newly developed piano.
Instruments
Nicholas Rimmer performs on an original fortepiano from Muzio Clementi's own workshop, serial number 504, built around 1806, which was re-strung in 2017 with historically correct materials.
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