A CHRONOLOGICAL VIEW OF WESTERN MUSIC HISTORY IN THE CONTEXT OF WORLD EVENTS

Muzio Clementi

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January 23, 1752: Muzio Clementi is born in Rome, in the Papal States, the first of seven children born to Nicolo Clementi, a silversmith, and Magdalena Kaiser.
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January 5, 1766: Muzio Clementi (13) is hired as an organist in his home parish of San Lorenzo in Damaso, Rome.
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April 3, 1775: The first recorded appearance by Muzio Clementi (23) as a pianist in London takes place at the Hickford Rooms.
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June 15, 1779: The publication of Muzio Clementi’s (27) six keyboard sonatas op.2 is announced in the Morning Post, London. Also announced is the publication of Clementi’s op.3 containing three duets for piano four hands and three accompanied keyboard sonatas.
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February 29, 1780: Publication of six accompanied keyboard sonatas op.4 by Muzio Clementi (28) is announced in the Morning Post, London.
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November 21, 1781: Muzio Clementi (29) arrives in Munich on his way from Paris to Vienna.
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December 19, 1781: On his first major European tour, Muzio Clementi (29) arrives in Vienna.
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December 24, 1781: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (25) and Muzio Clementi (29) take part in a piano playing contest before Emperor Joseph II and Grand Duke Pavel of Russia (later Tsar Pavel I) and the Grand Duchess. They are both required to improvise and play some of their own music. The Grand Duchess then requests that they play at sight sonatas by Paisiello (41). Mozart is judged to be the winner, but not by much. It is the first time the two composers meet.
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January 16, 1782: Three weeks after their famous duel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (25) writes to his father (62) about Muzio Clementi (29). “He is an excellent cembalo player, that is all. He has great facility with his right hand. Apart from this, he has not a farthing’s worth of taste or feeling; he is a mere mechanicus.”
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September 25, 1782: The Wiener Zeitung announces the publication of three keyboard sonatas op.7 by Muzio Clementi (30).
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December 14, 1782: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (30) three keyboard sonatas op.8 is announced in the Journal de Paris.
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July 5, 1783: The Wiener Zeitung announces the publication of Muzio Clementi’s (31) three keyboard sonatas op.10.
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May 8, 1784: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (32) keyboard sonata and toccata op.11 is announced in the Morning Herald, London.
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May 10, 1784: Muzio Clementi’s (32) op.12 containing four piano sonatas and a two-piano duet is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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May 26, 1785: The six piano sonatas op.13 by Muzio Clementi (33) are registered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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March 11, 1786: Muzio Clementi’s (34) three duets for piano-four hands op.14 and three accompanied piano sonatas op.15 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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July 10, 1786: La Chasse for keyboard op.16 by Muzio Clementi (34) is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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March 7, 1787: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (35) Capriccio for keyboard op.17 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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April 23, 1787: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (35) Two Symphonies op.18 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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August 9, 1787: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (35) Musical Characteristics op.19 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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October 1, 1787: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (35) Keyboard Sonata op.20 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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June 3, 1788: Muzio Clementi’s (36) keyboard sonata op.24/1 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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September 8, 1788: Muzio Clementi’s (36) three piano trios op.21 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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November 1, 1788: Muzio Clementi’s (36) three piano trios op.22 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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July 23, 1789: Muzio Clementi’s (37) keyboard sonata op.24/2 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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January 1, 1790: Muzio Clementi’s (37) three keyboard sonatas op.23 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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May 31, 1790: Muzio Clementi (38) appears as piano soloist for the last time, playing one of his own sonatas, in London.
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June 8, 1790: Muzio Clementi’s (38) six piano sonatas op.25 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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June 6, 1791: A keyboard sonata op.26 by Muzio Clementi (39) is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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November 26, 1791: Three Piano Sonatas op.35 by Leopold Kozeluch (44) are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London. They are dedicated to Muzio Clementi (39). Also entered are Kozeluch’s Three Piano Sonatas with flute, violin or cello accompaniment op.34.
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December 22, 1791: Three piano trios op.27 by Muzio Clementi (39) are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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April 27, 1792: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (40) three piano trios op.28 is announced in the Morning Herald, London.
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July 25, 1792: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (40) keyboard canzonette WoO 4 is announced in the Wiener Zeitung.
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January 24, 1793: Muzio Clementi’s (41) three piano trios op.29 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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April 17, 1793: Johann Peter Salomon presents a performance in London featuring Jan Ladislav Dussek (33), his wife, and Muzio Clementi (41).
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June 5, 1793: Muzio Clementi’s (41) three piano trios op.32 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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July 22, 1793: Muzio Clementi’s (41) piano piece Mr. Collick’s Minuet with Five Variations WoO 5 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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April 14, 1794: Muzio Clementi’s (42) piano trios WoO 6 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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June 3, 1794: Muzio Clementi’s (42) three piano sonatas op.33 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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June 27, 1794: Muzio Clementi’s (42) keyboard sonata op.31 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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July 10, 1794: Muzio Clementi’s (42) keyboard sonata op.30 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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April 30, 1795: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (43) two sonatas and two capriccios for piano op.34 is announced in the Morning Chronicle, London.
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June 16, 1796: Muzio Clementi’s (44) three piano trios op.35 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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March 27, 1797: Muzio Clementi’s (45) six piano sonatinas op.36 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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February 8, 1798: Muzio Clementi’s (46) three piano sonatas op.37 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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June 30, 1798: Muzio Clementi’s (46) Twelve Waltzes for piano, tambourine and triangle op.38 are entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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November 4, 1799: His firm already in trouble, Jan Ladislav Dussek (39) signs a publishing contract with Longman, Clementi (47) & Co in London.
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May 14, 1800: The publication of Muzio Clementi’s (48) op.39, consisting of 12 waltzes for piano, tambourine and triangle, is announced in the Morning Herald, London.
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October 26, 1801: The publication of Muzio Clementi’s (49) Introduction to the Art of Playing on the Piano Forte op.42 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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November 23, 1801: Volume One of Muzio Clementi’s (49) Clementi’s Practical Harmony is published in London.
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December 1, 1801: Muzio Clementi (49) reports that he has received the right to print music composed by Jan Ladislav Dussek (41) in England.
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February 15, 1802: Volume Two of Clementi’s Practical Harmony by Muzio Clementi (50) is published in London.
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September 11, 1802: The publication of Muzio Clementi’s (50) three piano sonatas op.40 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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July 27, 1803: Muzio Clementi (51) arrives in Berlin from St. Petersburg.
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January 7, 1804: The publication of Muzio Clementi’s (51) keyboard sonatas op.41 is announced in the Wiener Zeitung.
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August 2, 1804: Muzio Clementi (52) arrives in Berlin from Leipzig.
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September 18, 1804: Muzio Clementi (52) marries Caroline Lehmann, the 19-year-old daughter of the director of the Royal Opera, Berlin, in that city’s Nicolaikirche. The couple leave Berlin for Italy shortly after the ceremony.
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September 17, 1805: Muzio Clementi’s (53) 20-year-old wife Caroline dies in Berlin, nine days after giving birth to their son.
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November 12, 1806: Muzio Clementi (54) arrives in Vienna from St. Petersburg where he will meet Beethoven (35) and buy the rights to some of his works.
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April 20, 1807: Ludwig van Beethoven (36) signs a contract with Muzio Clementi (55) in Vienna giving Clementi sole printing rights in Britain for the Rassumovsky Quartets, the Symphony no.4, the Coriolanus Overture, the Piano Concerto no.4, and the Violin Concerto.
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February 18, 1811: Volume III of Clementi’s Practical Harmony by Muzio Clementi (59) is published in London.
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July 6, 1811: Muzio Clementi (59) marries his second wife, Emma Gisborne, family unknown, at St. Pancras’ Church, London.
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January 24, 1813: Thirty of London’s most eminent musicians, including Muzio Clementi (61) and Henry R. Bishop (26), join to form the Philharmonic Society.
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February 6, 1813: Those who met on 24 January meet again in London and sign a manifesto and a set of laws for a “Philharmonic Society.” Signers include Muzio Clementi (61), Henry R. Bishop (26), Thomas Attwood, Vincent Novello, Johann Peter Salomon, and George Smart.
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March 8, 1813: The first concert of the Philharmonic Society takes place in Argyll Rooms, Regent St., London. Johann Peter Salomon is the “leader” with Muzio Clementi (61) at the piano.
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March 21, 1814: Melodies of Different Nations for piano by Muzio Clementi (62) is published in London.
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December 24, 1814: Muzio Clementi (62) is elected to the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm.
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November 22, 1815: Muzio Clementi (63) is named treasurer of the London Philharmonic Society.
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November 25, 1816: Having divorced himself from the London Philharmonic Society, Muzio Clementi (64) departs London for Paris.
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December 12, 1816: At a General Meeting of the London Philharmonic Society, a replacement is named for Muzio Clementi (64) as treasurer. It is decided to leave his name on the list of directors.
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March 1, 1817: Muzio Clementi’s (65) Gradus ad Parnassum is published simultaneously in London, Paris, and Leipzig.
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March 1, 1819: A symphony by Muzio Clementi (67) is performed for the first time, in London. It is either WO 32 or 33.
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April 16, 1819: The publication of Muzio Clementi’s (67) Gradus ad Parnassum Volume II is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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May 23, 1820: Publication of Muzio Clementi’s (68) Piano Sonata op.46 is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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July 1, 1820: Today marks the last appearance of Muzio Clementi (68) at a meeting of the London Philharmonic Society.
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January 15, 1821: The publication of Fantaisie with Variations on Au Clair de la lune op.48 by Muzio Clementi (68) is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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February 1, 1821: The publication of two Capriccios for piano op.47 by Muzio Clementi (69) is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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February 3, 1821: Two days after Friedrich Kalkbrenner (35) is denied status of a subscriber, Muzio Clementi (69) resigns from the London Philharmonic Society. He calls their action a “flagrant insult.”
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October 5, 1821: The publication of twelve Monferrinas for piano op.49 by Muzio Clementi (69) is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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October 15, 1821: The publication of three Piano Sonatas op.50 by Muzio Clementi (69) is entered at Stationers’ Hall, London.
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June 21, 1824: Franz Liszt (12) plays his first public concert in London, at the Argyll Rooms. Among the attenders are Muzio Clementi (72) and Frédéric Kalkbrenner (38). The room is full and the performance goes very well.
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October 31, 1826: Muzio Clementi’s (74) complete Gradus ad Parnassum appears for the first time, simultaneously in Paris, Leipzig, and London.
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May 25, 1827: Franz Liszt (15) gives a concert in the New Argyll Rooms, London attended by Muzio Clementi (75).
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December 17, 1827: A dinner and performance in honor of Muzio Clementi (75) takes place at the Albion Hotel, London. All of musical London is there as well as many publishers and businessmen.
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February 25, 1828: Muzio Clementi (76) gives his last public performance, playing the piano at a concert of the Philharmonic Society, London.
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March 10, 1832: Muzio Clementi dies in Evesham, Worcestershire, United Kingdom, after a brief illness, aged 80 years, one month, and 16 days.
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March 15, 1832: At a General Meeting of the London Philharmonic Society, it is resolved that the Society should attend the funeral of Muzio Clementi “as a token of respect to his memory...”
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March 29, 1832: After a funeral service, the mortal remains of Muzio Clementi are laid to rest in the Cloisters of Westminster Abbey. The Abbey is packed with mourners, among them are many musicians including Clementi’s most famous pupil, John Field (49).
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November 24, 1873: Ferruccio Busoni (7) appears as pianist for the first time in public, at the Schiller-Verein in Trieste. He plays music of Mozart (†81), Schumann (†17), and Clementi (†41).