Category: Composers

Muzio Clementi (1752 – 1832) was a contemporary of both Mozart and Beethoven due to his relatively long life.

Although Clementi outlived Beethoven, his music more closely resembles the earlier Classical Style of Mozart.

Piano Works

Clementi wrote many piano sonatas, with some of his best known piano works being his sonatinas (little sonatas), which are still commonly taught by piano teachers.

Other Enterprises

As well as being a renowned composer and pianist, Clementi was also a pedagogue, piano manufacturer, teacher and publisher.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791) was born in Salzburg (modern day Austria), to a composer, Leopold Mozart.

Childhood

Taking early instruction from his father, Wolfgang was an accomplished keyboardist by the age of 5, and also composed music (although his compositions were almost certainly corrected and improved by his father, Leopold).

Keyboard works

Mozart wrote 18 Piano Sonatas, and although they are not as popular as Beethoven’s set, they are still held in high esteem amongst pianists and musicians.

Some of Mozart’s most popular Sonata movements include:

• Sonata in C major (K545)
• Sonata in A major (K331)