Description
Clementi's Six Sonatinas, Op. 36, published in 1797, have served as the standard introduction to sonata form for beginners for more than two centuries. Born in Rome and based in London, Clementi was a publisher and piano manufacturer as well as a composer; he is called the father of the pianoforte because he helped shape the instrument itself.
This Andante is the slow middle movement of the three that make up No. 1. Against the C major of the outer movements it is set in the subdominant, F major, and moves at an unhurried triple time. The left hand keeps an even broken-chord accompaniment while the right sings quietly above it. The movement lasts under a minute.
No fast fingers are required, which leaves everything to the singing. Hold the broken chords at a constant, subdued level so the melody stays in front, and finish phrases rather than dropping them. Between two quick outer movements this is the one place where the tempo eases and the music takes a breath — and played as a whole set, that contrast is what gives the sonatina its shape.
Compact piano works that teach sonata form on a smaller scale, often used as a stepping stone toward full-length sonatas.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
What this piece teaches
Clementi's Sonatina Op. 36 No. 1 is a fixture of the Japanese Sonatina Album and of graded exam syllabi alike. Its slow middle movement, an Andante in F major, is a singing tune over a supporting left-hand figure.
How to practise it
- Slow movements are where the beat most easily stalls. Turn on beat lines and keep the tempo steady.
- Decide in advance where each long phrase takes its breath.
Practice guides using this piece
Keeping a practice log that lasts
What the practice log records and when, self-ratings and progress, how days and streaks are counted, and exporting and importing so the log is never lost.
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 pieces from his Op. 42 tutor, built on "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman" and melodies by Haydn and Mozart, along with movements from the Sonatina, Op. 36, No. 1.
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