Czerny Sheet Music

Czerny Sheet Music and Biography

Portrait of Carl Czerny in his forties smartly dressed — Carl Czerny
21 Feb 1791-15 July 1857

Carl Czerny was a famous Austrian composer and teacher who was a child prodigy composing from the age of seven. He was born on 21 February 1791 into a musical family. His grandfather was a violinist, and his father an oboist, organist, pianist, and Carl’s teacher from an early age.

We have some of his studies including Op.795, No.3: Etude Melodieuse, or Melodious Study for Solo Piano and Op. 599, No.36: Legato Study arranged for Guitar Duo.

Would you believe that his first public appearance was at the age of nine playing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor?

If you are not familiar with this piece take a look at the YouTube video below (the pianist starts at 2.22)

In 1801 Czerny met with Beethoven at the age of ten. He was requested to play Beethoven’s Sonata Pathétique and Adelaide which resulted in his acceptance as one of Beethoven’s pupils. He remained so until 1804 and occasionally after that.

Czerny was the first to identify Beethoven’s deafness (Seven years before it became public!)

Teaching Career

At the age of just fifteen, he started a very promising teaching career. He followed the styles of Beethoven and Clementi. Liszt proved to be his star pupil and impressed Czerny with his talent so much that he received free lessons. However, Liszt’s father’s first impression of Czerny wasn’t quite what he was expecting:-

‘He was a pale, sickly-looking child, who, while playing, swayed about on the stool as if drunk…His playing was…irregular, untidy, confused, and…he threw his fingers quite arbitrarily all over the keyboard. But that notwithstanding, I was astonished at the talent Nature had bestowed upon him‘ (Wikipedia)

Czerny also taught Beethoven’s nephew and many other famous composers.

Career

He composed a huge number of pieces not only for the piano, but also concertos, choral music, string quartets, symphonies, songs, and other chamber music.

Admiration for his piano teaching was prevalent and is still in use today by many piano teachers. He is known for his pedagogical works which include the School of Velocity, the School of Virtuosity, and the School of the Left Hand.

Czerny died aged on 15th July 1857, aged sixty-six having never married or had any children.