Clement, Franz

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Clement, Franz

Clement, Franz, Austrian violinist and composer; b. Vienna, Nov. 17, 1780; d. there, Nov. 3, 1842. He learned to play the violin as a child, and at the age of ten went to London, where he appeared as a soloist at concerts directed by Salomon and Haydn. Returning to Vienna, he continued his successful career. He was conductor at the Theater an der Wien (1802–11), and made a tour in Germany and Russia (1813–18). He also participated in the concerts of the famous singer Angelica Catalani. Clement was greatly esteemed as a violinist and musician by his contemporaries. Beethoven wrote his Violin Concerto for him, and Clement gave its first performance in Vienna (Dec. 23, 1806). He wrote six concertos and 25 concertinos for violin, as well as numerous technical studies.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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