
In 1819, the father of Franz Liszt brought his son to Czerny, who recalled: His 'star' pupils included Theodor Döhler, Stephen Heller, Sigismond Thalberg, and Ninette de Belleville. Basing his method on the teaching of Beethoven and Muzio Clementi, Czerny taught up to twelve lessons a day in the homes of Viennese nobility. Drawing by Rudolf Lipus.Īt the age of fifteen, Czerny began a very successful teaching career. Later career Teacher and composer Ĭzerny introduces his pupil Franz Liszt to Beethoven. Czerny maintained a relationship with Beethoven throughout his life, and also gave piano lessons to Beethoven's nephew Carl. Czerny wrote that his musical memory enabled him to play all the Beethoven works by heart without exception and, during the years 1804–1805, he used to play these works in this manner at Prince Lichnowsky's palace once or twice a week, with the Prince calling out only the desired opus numbers. 1 in 1806 and, at the age of 21, in February 1812, Czerny gave the Vienna premiere of Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto. Of his first meeting with Beethoven, he wrote: "I also noticed with that visual quickness peculiar to children that he had cotton which seemed to have been steeped in a yellowish liquid, in his ears." Ĭzerny was selected by Beethoven for the premiere of the latter's Piano Concerto No. Czerny was the first to report symptoms of Beethoven's deafness, several years before the matter became public. Ĭzerny's autobiography and letters give many important references and details of Beethoven during this period. He particularly admired Beethoven's facility at improvisation, his expertise at fingering, the rapidity of his scales and trills, and his restrained demeanour while performing. Czerny remained under Beethoven's tutelage until 1804 and sporadically thereafter. Beethoven was impressed with the 10-year-old and accepted him as a pupil. Beethoven asked Czerny to play his Pathétique Sonata and Adelaide. In 1801, Wenzel Krumpholz, a Czech composer and violinist, scheduled a presentation for Czerny at the home of Ludwig van Beethoven. Czerny made his first public performance in 1800 playing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. He began performing piano recitals in his parents' home. His first piano teacher was his father, who taught him mainly Bach, Haydn and Mozart. Īs a child prodigy, Czerny began playing piano at age three and composing at age seven. When Czerny was six months old, his father took a job as a piano teacher at a Polish manor and the family moved to Poland, where they lived until the third partition of Poland prompted the family to return to Vienna in 1795. Czerny came from a musical family: his grandfather was a violinist at Nymburk, near Prague, and his father, Wenzel, was an oboist, organist and pianist. His parents spoke the Czech language with him. His parents were of Czech origin his mother was Moravian. Picture based on the original by Joseph Lanzedelly the ElderĬarl Czerny was born in Vienna ( Leopoldstadt) and was baptized in St.
