Johann Baptist Cramer

1771-1858

Although German born (in Mannheim) Johann (otherwise “John”) was son of the Englishman and virtuoso violinist, William Cramer. Johann spent much of his life in England and is usually considered an English composer.

Make of that what you will….

The family moved to London when Johann was still a young child. He did not follow in his father’s footsteps, in as much as he preferred the piano to the violin. By age of eleven he was being taught by the famous pianist and music teacher Muzio Clementi. They remained close and when Clementi dies in 1832 Johann was one of those chosen to take his body to its final resting place in Westminster Abbey.

Cramer gained a formidable reputation as a pianist performing across Europe to great acclaim, he was known to both Beethoven and Haydn and published Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano concerto.

Johann was a prolific composer mostly of piano music and especially studies and sonatas. The studies are still considered important teaching pieces today.

And it is as a music publisher that perhaps his greatest legacy lies, founding the firm Cramer & Co which traded under that name until 1964 when it was bought out by Kemble & Co.

Cramer’s major piano works are seldom performed today. They are an odd mix of a conservative approach but with innovations peppered throughout them. The piece below perhaps illustrates the changes of music styles during his lifetime. It is on occasion a bit like a piece of Mozart being gatecrashed by Beethoven.