(Nearly) Obscure Composers Series: Muzio Clementi

[Gurn_Blanston]

Is that the one containing the Op.34 and Op.36 ? If i remember correctly, the first one is compromised of 2 capricci and 2 piano sonate, whilst the Op.36 it's a series of six sonate progressive meant to demonstrate Clementi's famous technique.

I think the big star of that disc is the Op.34, sonata no.2 in g. I swear, listening to the last movement i have an hard time beleiving this is Clementi and not infact Beethoven.

So far as i can see Clementi is the D. Scarlatti of the classical era, both of which need to be recorded more...

Lyric,
No, no sonatas on this one, it is Suites from his Gradus ad Parnassum, which is discussed in the bio. Spada did the whole works of Clementi, or at least is working on it. The first 9 disks are available as a box set.

I agree about Op 34, the one sonata I have from it is super. I also have most of Op 36. One of my favorites though is Op 25 #5, I believe in f# minor, a really nice piece, that.

Completely agree, I wish Spada's effort had been on fortepiano, because the disk I have of Immerseel on fortepiano really allows the player to achieve the technical demands of the works. Only 4 sonatas on there though (although one IS the aforementioned f# sonata   )

[D Minor]

AFAIK, these are the sum total of his orchestral output, except for his solitary PC.

I would love to hear that PC . . . . . .

[val]

I hate that man. He tortured my fingers with his Sonatas and Sonatinas for years. And I was only a child!

[Gurn_Blanston]

I hate that man. He tortured my fingers with his Sonatas and Sonatinas for years. And I was only a child!

   My heart goes out to you, my dear Val.  So, can you play them now?  Do you play them now?   

[D Minor]

Gurn, have you heard his PC?

[Gurn_Blanston]

Gurn, have you heard his PC?

d minor,
Sure, I have a couple of performances of it. But to start with, it is in C major, so it has that going against it.   Also, although it is a very competent piece of work, IMHO the concerto was not his strongest area of inspiration. Nonetheless, it isn't crap, so to speak, and if you can pick it up coupled with something interesting, like this:

Clementi Concerto

then you might be getting a good deal. In fact, I think I will buy this box myself...

[D Minor]

d minor,
Sure, I have a couple of performances of it. But to start with, it is in C major, so it has that going against it.   Also, although it is a very competent piece of work, IMHO the concerto was not his strongest area of inspiration. Nonetheless, it isn't crap, so to speak, and if you can pick it up coupled with something interesting, like this:

Clementi Concerto

then you might be getting a good deal. In fact, I think I will buy this box myself...

For $9.99 I'm all over that bad boy, featuring many delicious concerti by Muzio Clementi (1752 - 1832), John Field (1782 - 1837), Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778 - 1837), Johann Baptist Cramer (1771 - 1858), Carl Czerny (1791 - 1857), Ferdinand Ries (1784 - 1838).

Alas, no Rosetti . . . . . .     

[D Minor]

Did Clementi compose any piano trios?  (sorry if this was mentioned earlier . . . . . too lazy tonight to look above). 

[Gurn_Blanston]

Did Clementi compose any piano trios?  (sorry if this was mentioned earlier . . . . . too lazy tonight to look above). 

A couple of his early sonatas are marked identically to Haydn's early ones (with the optional accompaniment of violin or flute and cello). The only recording I have seen took the "optional" part literally...    

[cliftwood]

Thankfully, Horowitz deserves all the credit for resurrecting Clementi's wonderful sonatas . These sonatas are some of the most underrated works I know, based on their merit.

I don't know the Spada disc, but I do have the Tipo, which is excellent and the Szokolay, equally well played. Szokolay's Scarlatti Sonata CD on Naxos is a disc worth having, particulary if you're a Scarlatti devotee, which I am.

[Gurn_Blanston]

Thankfully, Horowitz deserves all the credit for resurrecting Clementi's wonderful sonatas . These sonatas are some of the most underrated works I know, based on their merit.

I don't know the Spada disc, but I do have the Tipo, which is excellent and the Szokolay, equally well played. Szokolay's Scarlatti Sonata CD on Naxos is a disc worth having, particulary if you're a Scarlatti devotee, which I am.

Thanks, cliftwood, for weighing in. I also encourage anyone interested in Clementi to get the Horowitz, it's a great place to start, as I did.  You can get it at Amazon for peanuts:

Horowitz/Clementi

Although it will help the site if you go through the link at the top.   

<edit for typos     >

[Gulistan]

I think Clementi's minor key sonatas are usually better than the major key ones. (The greatest one IMO being the G min op50no3 'Didone Abbandonata').

BTW, there is a nice recital, that nobody has mentioned yet, by Demidenko on Hyperion - it includes the lovely sonata in B min (op40no2) among others.

Thank you Gurn for starting this thread: it's nice to know there are other Clementi fans out there!!

[Gurn_Blanston]

I think Clementi's minor key sonatas are usually better than the major key ones. (The greatest one IMO being the G min op50no3 'Didone Abbandonata').

BTW, there is a nice recital, that nobody has mentioned yet, by Demidenko on Hyperion - it includes the lovely sonata in B min (op40no2) among others.

Thank you Gurn for starting this thread: it's nice to know there are other Clementi fans out there!!

Gulistan,
You're welcome, it is my pleasure, I assure you. As for "Dido Abandoned", you are sure right, this is a very nice work. I think that in his minor key sonatas, Clementi does hit a vein that he doesn't seem to mine as deeply in his major key works. Fortunately, there are a lot of them!
Some that I have:

In f minor - Op 13 #6 - Op 14 #3
in f# - Op 25 #5 & 26 #2
in g -   Op 34 #2 & Op 50 #3

Also, the Capriccio Op 47 #2 in e minor and Suite #1 of Gradus ad Parnassum, in the always haunting d minor.

[cliftwood]

I'd like to recommend two Horowitz discs:

Horowitz..The Private Collection on RCA Red Seal..

includes Clementi Sonatas Op. 36,# 1..Op.24, # 2..Op.47, # 2..Op. 34, # 1 & 2

Also, Bach, Mendelssohn, Liszt & Rachmaninoff

Also: Horowitz,Discovered Treasures..on Sony

Clementi Rondo from Op.12, # 2, Adagio Sostenuto fro Book 1, # 14 Dr.Gradus, Rondo from Op.25, # 3 & Adagio from Op.50, # 1

Includes Scarlatti, Bach, Chopin, Medtner, Scriabin & Liszt...A tremendous CD.

[Earthlight]

I rectified my bleak, bizarre Clementiless state as quickly as I could, with a disc that hasn't yet been mentioned on this thread:



The music on here seems to serve the dual role of giving a virtuoso a chance to impress the doyennes in the front row while providing some serious substance for the music lovers lined up in the corners. It's energetic, somewhat insistent, and doesn't really sound much like anything else I've heard. Personally, I don't hear a lot of Beethoven here; the influences must show up in his other compositions (or I'm missing them, which happens).

After three or four listenings, the fast-and-furious elements of the music have stayed with me, which isn't my typical pattern with pre-20th-century music. There's a lot of concept going on within those notes.

Of course, I have nothing (so far) with which to compare Pietro de Maria's workout, but I'm definitely interested in checking out more Clementi.