The Way of the Master Hand: 29 Piano Etudes

Author: (Italian) Clementi arranged by Chen Yinhuai
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: Clementi (1752–1832) was a British-born Italian composer and pianist. Born on January 23, 1752, in Rome, he passed away on March 10, 1832, in Evesham. At the age of 9, he became an organist, and by 12, he had composed an oratorio. In 1766, he went to England for further studies and made his debut in London in 1775 as a harpsichord player. In 1779, he published Six Sonatas, which received acclaim, and he frequently performed across Europe. Starting in 1782, he settled in London. In the mid-1790s, he opened a music shop, engaging in music publishing and piano manufacturing. He was one of the earliest composers to explore the characteristics and functions of the piano in his works. His Op. 2 is a true piano sonata, and his collection of etudes, The School of Velocity, is a systematic piano tutorial that laid the foundation for modern piano performance techniques. He is hailed as the "Father of the Piano" or the "Father of Piano Sonatas." He was also a master pianist, and in 1781, he competed in a performance match with W.A. Mozart, winning with his exceptional technique. This book is a collection of piano etudes that organically combines technical training and artistic expression. It includes not only technical exercises such as five-finger patterns, legato, triplets, and quintuplets but also pieces designed to help master various performance styles.