This thesis follows on a number of studies all of which deal with selected schools of composition important in the development of the piano sonata. Muzio Clementi was one of the leading contemporaries of such great masters as Haydn. Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, all of whom contributed greatly to the repertoire of piano sonatas. During his lifetime his reputation equalled that of his contemporaries and many of his sonatas were greatly admired by the young Beethoven. Clementi was born in Rome but spent the largest part of his Ii in London where he established himself as a multi-faceted musician, being engaged in many different fields connected with music: composer, teacher, performer, publisher and manufacturer of pianos. His sonatas form the most important part of his total creative output. While the earli works still follow principles typical of the middle classical period, his later sonatas belong to a different era and foreshadow the coming of romanticism. This thesis is devoted to a detailed survey of the changes that affect the form of the various movements. It shows the gradual change from tile simple compositional methods of the early works to the inherent logical process that characterises the sonatas of the later years The first part of the thesis culminates in findings that prove Clementi IS individuality and show that his enquiring spirit makes him an innovator of the first rank. The second major part of the thesis deals with the stylistic changes that take place within the various periods of Clementiis creative life. It summarises the main ingredients of his early music, critically evaluates the importance of various pianistic devices that play a leading role in works of the middle periods and finally shows the successful blending of inherited and new techniques in the last sonatas. The concluding section details the major points of the preceding investigations and presents a picture of Clementi's personality as it emerges through the medium of his solo keyboard sonatas.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:rhodes/vital:2653 |
| Date | January 1987 |
| Creators | Radloff, T E K |
| Publisher | Rhodes University, Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Doctoral, PhD |
| Format | 317 leaves, pdf |
| Rights | Radloff, T E K |
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