Gradus ad Parnassum, Band 1

The publisber of this work has decideda to edit the hunderd exercises of the Gradus ad Parnassum, being convinded in the first instance of the great advantage to pupils that are made acquainted with the entire work of Clementi’s, which secondly offers a wide range of choice to the teachers. Surely even those masters that think studying the entire Gradus ad Parnassum superfluous, will acknowledge that it is a much better plan to make their choice according to the individual wants of each pupil than to be obliged to make use of a selection that does not offer such plentiful material to choose from. The publisher abstains in this preface from discussing the principles that guided him, for they speak for themselves in his work and so he leaves them to be judged by bis colleagues without defending them beforehand. He only desires to affirm that he has scrupulously respected the original text of Clementi’s, marking the very slightest modificaiions which appeared to him to be of advantage to pupils. As to Nos. 16. 17. 19. 22. 24. 47. 53. 92 he has thought it expedient to add various readings, (variations) of the text (besides the original) that tend principally to render the left band skilful and expert. Similar “variations” have been added to the original text, left unchanged; so the teacher can according to bis taste either pass them over or have them studied. Bruno Mugellini, Professor of the Piano at the College of Music at Bologna