Clementi's Bach: The “Well-Tempered Clavier”, “Gradus ad Parnassum,” and the prelude

Scholars have long recognized the influence of J.S. Bach's music on that of Muzio Clementi. Clementi often used Bach's music as a model when composing his own pieces. In particular, his last major work, the Gradus ad Parnassum, has continually been compared to Bach's famous Well-Tempe...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author D'Elia, Peter
Format Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Published ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2009
Subjects
Music
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Summary:Scholars have long recognized the influence of J.S. Bach's music on that of Muzio Clementi. Clementi often used Bach's music as a model when composing his own pieces. In particular, his last major work, the Gradus ad Parnassum, has continually been compared to Bach's famous Well-Tempered Clavier since its first publication in 1817-26. In exploring the relationship between the music of Bach and Clementi, scholars have generally pointed to the fugue as the most profound connection. In focusing on the influence of fugue, however, scholars have ignored the less obvious, but far more influential effect of Bach's preludes on Clementi's Gradus ad Parnassum. This thesis shows how Bach's music impacted Clementi's life as a composer, using as evidence a detailed comparison of the Gradus with the preludes of the Well-Tempered Clavier. Qualities at the heart of Bach's preludes such as improvisation, technical virtuosity, and didactic purpose made them excellent models for Clementi's exercises.
ISBN:110911950X
9781109119503