Carl Czerny

Carl (Karl) Czerny was born on 20th of February, 1791, in Vienna, Austria. He studied piano with his father, Wenzel Czerny, and later took lessons from Antonio Salieri and Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven was so impressed with Czerny's playing that he offered to teach him several times a week for two years. Czerny was giving concert performances as a child prodigy from the age of 9, playing a Mozart Piano Concerto in C minor and Beethoven's piano sonatas. By the age of fifteen he became a reputable music teacher himself. Czerny created his original method of piano practice, incorporating many didactic piano pieces named "Etudes", which he wrote for piano practice of his students. His method is focused on finger dexterity and velocity, as well as on the sound control and expressiveness. Many of his "Etudes" (studies) are widely used today for piano practice, especially such collections as "The School of Velocity", "The Art of Dexterity", and "Etudes for the Left Hand". Czerny became a leading performer and devoted supporter of Beethoven's piano music.

He was selected by Beethoven to perform the premiere of the Piano Concerto No1 in 1806 and the Piano Concerto No 5 "The Emperor" in 1812, in Vienna, with "Ludvig van Beethoven' and the Emperor in attendance. Carl Czerny never married, and he lived alone. Being devoted to his ailing parents, he never took a concert tour. His students were such famous pianists as 'Sigismond Thalberg', Franz Liszt, and Stephen Heller.

At one time in 1815, Beethoven asked Czerny to teach his nephew, Carl.

In 1821 he started his two-year training course with Franz Liszt and continued correspondence with Liszt during his successful career. Czerny enjoyed a genuine respect from his famous colleagues.