Clementi & Co

Muzio Clementi (1752–1832) was a highly successful composer, pianist, conductor, publisher, editor, and piano manufacturer. Born in Rome, he spent his professional career in England. His skills as a performer and improviser were well known, and he famously engaged in a competition with Mozart in Vienna in 1781 at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II.

In 1798, Clementi along with several others took over the London music publishing and dealing emporium of Longman and Broderip, and the pianos were initially signed Longman, Clementi & Company. From 1800, the pianos from the highly profitable business bore the name Muzio Clementi & Co.

This wooden-framed piano was made around 1806, shortly before a fire destroyed the Cheapside factory. Its compass with additional keys is FF–c´´´´. It features the English double action in its earliest form with the so-called ‘Irish’ dampers attached to the rear of the keylevers. A pedal raises all the dampers. It has the serial no. 6952.

This instrument was donated to the School of Music by Dr Andrew Nolan in December 2009.

Updated:  19 November 2022/Responsible Officer:  Head of School/Page Contact:  CASS Marketing & Communications