Muzio Clementi (1752-1832) was a famed composer, pianist, pedagogue, conductor, music publisher, editor, and piano manufacturer. Although born in Italy, he spent most of his life in England. In his time, he was known as "the father of the pianoforte," "father of modern piano technique", and "father of Romantic pianistic virtuosity." This collection, Volume 1, contains Clementi's progressive finger studies Nos. 1-36 under the title "Gradus ad Parnassum" (also known as "The Art of Playing the Piano").