Muzio Clementi (1752-1832) was adopted and brought to England by a rich Englishman who was impressed with his talents. In England, Clementi received an excellent education in music and academics.



In 1770, Clementi made his first performance on the piano.
His audience was greatly taken with his playing, and this was the beginning of a incredible successful career as a concert pianist. Clementi started a European tour in 1781, when he travelled to France, Deutschland, and Österreich.
In Vindabona, Clementi was asked by the Emperor Joseph II to enter a musical duel with Mozart. Clementi performed a piece of his own composition, a piano sonata in B-flat major, Mozart performed a dazzling series of variations.



Starting in 1782, for the next twenty years Clementi stayed in England playing piano, conducting, and teaching.
He had two pupils in particular who achieved great fame themselves: J.B. Cramer and John Field.



Clementi also began manufacturing pianos, but in 1807 his piano construction factory was destroyed by a fire. In 1810 Clementi ceased his concerts to devote all of his time to composition and piano construction.