composers, such as Debussy, overstep the boundary and move towards modality.
Composers of the Second Viennese School, such as Schoenberg, Berg and Webern,
completely eradicate any diatonic basis by means of atonal and dodecaphonic (twelve-
tone serialism) harmony, and can thus be said to have moved through and beyond
chromaticism.
CHROMATIC SCALE
The chromatic scale ascends and descends by semitones.
The fingering for the chromatic scale involves the third finger in addition to the thumb
and second finger. The right hand chromatic scale for one octave from C is
1313123131312, from D flat is 3131231313123 and from B flat is 3123131231313.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Serious music is often called ‘classical music’ but those who are involved in serious
music usually reserve the term ‘classical music’ for music written by Haydn, Mozart,
Beethoven and Schubert and their contemporaries and imitators. ‘Classical music’ in the
latter sense is so called because of its formal proportions, structure and lines which are
analogous to those of classical Greek and Roman temples. The classical style of
simplicity, order, balance, restraint, elegance and naturalness was an outgrowth of the
European enlightenment. ‘Classical’ is British usage and ‘classic’ is American usage.
CLEMENTI
Muzio Clementi (1752-1832) was a composer of the early classical period and was the
first to write specifically for the piano. He is best known for his piano sonatas and his
piano studies, Gradus ad Parnassum.
Clementi was born in Rome on 23 January 1752, the first of seven children, to Nicolò
Clementi (1720-1789), a silversmith, and Magdalena, née Kaiser. His musical talent
became clear at an early age. By the age of thirteen he had secured a post as organist at
his home church of St Lorenzo in Damaso.
In 1766 Sir Peter Beckford (1740-1811), a wealthy Englishman and cousin of the
eccentric William Beckford, took an interest in the boy’s musical talent, and struck a deal
with Nicolò to take Muzio to his estate of Steepleton Iwerne, just north of Blandford
Forum in Dorset, England, where Beckford agreed to provide quarterly payments to
sponsor Muzio’s musical education. In return for his education he was expected to
provide musical entertainment at the manor. It was here that he spent the next seven
years in study and practice at the harpsichord. Nearly all his compositions from this
period have been lost.
In 1770 Clementi made his first public performance as an organist. The audience was
impressed with his playing and thus began one of the most successful concert careers in