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MUZIO CLEMENTI (1752 - 1832)
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Clementi was born in Rome on January 24th 1752. Baptized 'Filippo Vincenzo Francesco Saverio'. His
father was a silversmith, Nicolo Clementi, who was married to Magdalena Kaiser. Muzio was the eldest of their seven children.
Clementi started his musical training at a young age, first studying with a relative, Antonio Baroni
(1738-1792), maestro di cappella at the basilica of St Peter's. He hed lessons from the organist Cordicelli and went on to study
with Giuseppe Santarelli (1710-1790). Aged 13 he was given the post of organist at the church of S. Lorenzo in Damaso. The church
where he was baptized.
Aged fourteen he was adopted by a rich Englishman, Sir Peter Beckford and moved with him to his
country estate Fonthill Abbey. Here he was to spend seven years, studying the great masters for up to eight hours a day, before
moving to London around 1773-4.
Not very much is known about Clementi's early London years. He made some solo appearances, and for some
time he was conductor / director at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket.
In 1780 he embarked on a long European tour, taking him to Paris ,Vienna and a number of other places.
His famous duel with Mozart took place on December 24th 1781, in front of Emperor Joseph in Vienna.
In 1785 he again settled in London, this time to remain there until 1802. He made a name for himself
as a performer and composer, notably at the Hanover Square Concerts. As a teacher, his pubils included John Field, and J.B. Cramer.
He also went into the music business as publisher and piano manufacturer.
In 1802 he embarked on a second European tour, not returning to London until 1810. This time the
purpose was probably mostly business. He went to Russia, Italy and Vienna. He brought his pupil John Field along, who chosed to
remain in St. Petersburg.
Back in London in 1810 he resumed personal control of his firm, now called Clementi and Co. When the
Philharmonic Society was founded in 1813 he became its first Director and he regularly appeared in its concerts. He appeared at the
'Concerts spirituel' in Paris 1816-7 and in the Gewandhaus in Leipzig in 1822.
Clementi retired in 1830 and moved to Lichfield. He later moved to Evesham where he died on March 10th
1832, aged 80 after a short illness. He was buried in Westminster Abbey on March 29th.
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