Cramer's father moved to London in the 1770s, drawn by the lucrative opportunities for immigrant musicians in the city.
Johann Baptist Cramer was a child prodigy who grew up in a musical family, including his father, Wilhelm Cramer, a celebrated violinist.
Howard Shelley, the pianist and conductor on this recording, has a discography exceeding 160 albums and has recorded works by over seventy composers.
Most of Cramer's concertos were first performed at his annual Benefit Concerts in London.
Cramer was admired by Beethoven, whom he met in Vienna during a European tour in 1799.
Cramer's eight piano concertos, composed between 1795 and 1825, were written to showcase his skills in modern piano techniques.
Muzio Clementi, an influential immigrant musician who settled in Britain after 1766, became Cramer's teacher in 1783.
