Technical Studies for Cello by Klengel

Many composers preferred piano to any other instruments. It’s understandable: keys on piano are arranged by groups, and hence it’s easier to take a chord – one doesn’t need to memorize placing of notes on fret. Piano is very handy in terms of composing: it’s easy to play some tune and after that decide is it worth to be included in the next measure of a piece.

Pianists have lots of studies, composed by likes of Chopin and Czerny. But other musicians – cellists, for example, – need to practice too, and here comes to help Julius Klengel. His invaluably helpful etudes are available for download here: Technical Studies for Cello (Volume I).

Scherzo in D Major for Violin and Piano

Louis Spohr was born in Germany in 1784 and spent a big part of his life proving that he is one of the best violinists of his time. Even though no one can be compared to Paganini in terms of mastery, he breathed down the latter's neck - public didn’t remain indifferent after Spohr played at Paganini’s homeland. Spohr was also a conductor and as a composer had a significant impact on German music drama. His lifetime fame was even comparable to one of Beethoven. Spohr is especially known for his scherzos – download one here: Scherzo in D Major for Violin and Piano, Op.135 No.2.

La Navarraise by Jules Massenet

Jules Massenet was a French composer who was born in 1842. Outstanding melodist and harmonist, he woke up as early as 4 AM to compose music (perseverance wins, right?) and, interestingly, did it rather in mind than on piano. That's mainly operas that brought Massenet fame, and even his first one (La grand'tante) features quite interesting plot, where protagonist marries his great-aunt trying to hook in his great-uncle’s inheritance. For some time Massenet's works were forgotten, but in the 1970s they were rediscovered. La Navarraise is a one-act opera based on La cigarette, novel written by Claretie. Its events take place in the time of the Third Carlist War in Spain, and it’s quite breathtaking. The score is available here: La Navarraise (Act I).

Sonatina in C Major, Op.36 No.3 by Clementi

Muzio Clementi was a pianist, composer, piano teacher and manufacturer. I think it was a good move to combine these two things – you teach someone to play and then unobtrusively sell them an instrument. The maneuver proved its effectiveness, and Clementi died rich.

Clementi is considered father of modern piano technique, but he has more children – he is credited for creating the classical form of piano sonata, for example. Clementi influenced Beethoven and even Mozart (despite the latter didn’t especially like him and never hesitated to let somebody hear that he considers Clementi a charlatan who declares to play in one tempo but actually plays slower). However, Mozart used tune that he borrowed from Clementi in one of his pieces – and this means more than backbiting and aversion.

Clementi's Sonatina in C Major is available for download here: Sonatina in C Major, Op.36 No.3.

Piano Trio in E Flat Major, Op.101 No.1

What I like most about music, including classical, is that there are always new striking names to discover. I remember how I was fecklessly trying to understand why my mood wasn’t all that great for some period. At some moment I had a brain wave: that’s because I didn’t pay attention to my record library and was tired of listening to the older stuff only.

If you faced something like that, let me introduce to you George Onslow, an Anglo-French composer. Unlike other personas who I was writing about, he only flounders about in the waters of forgetfulness and haven't completely went down: in 1984, during the celebration of Onslow's bicentennial, people rediscovered his amazing works. A pure gem is his Piano Trio in E Flat Major, especially if you like piano trios as much as I do. Download it here: Piano Trio in E Flat Major, Op.101 No.1.

Rhythmic Training for the Fingers for Piano

One needs lots of practice to execute difficult piano passages rapidly and accurately. Camille-Marie Stamaty’s methods may be a good start – in addition to being a composer and pianist he was also a teacher. One of his pupils was Camille Saint-Saëns, and, you know, it’s not just anybody. Stamaty’s etudes and exercises develop techniques which he learned from Friedrich Kalkbenner, principal of a Factory for aspiring virtuosos in Paris who established himself as one of the most cunning European pianists. Stamaty’s method may be downloaded here: Rhythmic Training for the Fingers for Piano, Movement I, Op.36