and Salieri (from 1793). He was intimate with Beethoven, about 1807 assisted in the Esterhazy establishment, from 1811 taught in Vienna, from 1816 was court-choirmaster at Stuttgart and from 1819 at Weimar, but with frequent absences. His works numbered about 125, including not only piano-sonatas, concertos and ensemble music (notably the Septet, Op. 74), but also several masses and other church music (still used), 4 operas and other dramatic music, and an elaborate piano-method (1828). Though most active after 1800, his style allied him with the earlier period. His playing was careful and exact in form, but lacked success in slow movements. As a composer, he followed Mozart, though without the latter's richness of material. Yet he was one of the ablest of improvisators, and became the teacher and inspirer of many great players.
Other important members of the Vienna circle, already mentioned, were Joseph Haydn (d. 1809), Wanhal (d. 1813) and Pleyel (d. 1831).
It was into this atmosphere that Beethoven (d. 1827) came in 1792, only 22 years old, but already an accomplished virtuoso. It is easy to understand what a sensation his virile, original methods of interpretation and improvisation occasioned. From that time he was wholly identified with Vienna, exerting a profound immediate influence and beginning the first pianistic epoch of the next century (see next sec.).
162. The Clementi School.—Contemporaneous with the fore-*going
group was another that took its impetus from the Italian
Clementi and found its favorite implement in the English type
of piano, with its deep and somewhat stiff action, its large and
vigorous tone, and its general capacity for brilliant and massive
effects. Great emphasis was put upon a 'singing tone,' conceived
in a sense more masculine and eminent than with the
Viennese, a tone that could even dominate in the orchestral
ensemble. Emphasis also fell upon the studied development of
octaves and chords, passage-work and varied figuration, and
every sort of embellishment peculiar to the keyboard—upon
everything by which the individuality and power of the new
instrument could be exhibited. In short, this group displayed
a strong instinct for executive virtuosity, doubtless often indulged
for its own sake, but also evinced a growing sense of how
the study of the keyboard might react upon the whole theory of
composition, bringing in novel materials and idioms of expression
that were peculiarly germane to the piano. Starting from
about the same point as the other school, these players went
much further in uncovering the latent possibilities of the instrument,
in seeking after means for dramatic, intense effect and
thus in making their playing more of a self-expression. The
