The Art of Fingering on the Pianoforte: A Comprehensive and Comparative Study of Clementi’s Didactical Works Applied to Period and Modern Instruments

Clementi’s didactical opuses (Introduction to the Art of Playing on the Pianoforte with its Appendix, the Gradus ad Parnassum and especially his Sonatinas) are works that almost every modern-day keyboardist has encountered. In my research, I analyse these works from the point of view of fingerings – a subject for which Clementi was famous at his time. Focusing on thorough contextualisation with regards to other didactical works of Clementi’s time, I propose a complete methodology concerning the treatment of 18^th- and 19^th-century keyboard methods. Aiming to enrich our understanding and perspectives of historically informed performance, my research involves a constant embodiment of Clementi’s fingerings – on different period instruments as well as the modern instrument – and their application on a relevant repertoire.