Description
This is one of the shortest preludes in the collection, written in C major and lasting only 8 seconds across 36 notes. Despite its brevity, it condenses a bright, straightforward harmonic progression, making it suitable as a very first step at the keyboard. Its unadorned writing draws attention directly to the sound of the chords themselves.
A piano method Clementi published in 1801, comprising 50 lessons that arrange famous Baroque and Classical works for solo piano.
Browse all songs in Introduction to the Art of Playing on the Piano Forte Op.42 →Sheet Music
Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Muzio Clementi (1752-1832)
Muzio Clementi was born in Rome and moved to England while still young, building a career in London as a pianist, composer, and instrument manufacturer. Often called the "father of the pianoforte," he wrote the study collection Gradus ad Parnassum and numerous sonatinas that remain staples of piano pedagogy. This site includes 36 of his pieces, including variations on nursery tunes and short works based on themes by Haydn and Mozart.
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