Czerny's Letters to Young Ladies on the Art of Playing the Piano Forte

Carl Czerny (1791 – 1857) was an Austrian composer, teacher, and pianist. He was a student of Beethoven who in turn taught Franz Liszt. 


“The reader must suppose,” Czerny prefaces this volume of letters, “that by means of short, friendly, and cheerful letters, I have undertaken to draw the attention of a talented and well-educated girl of about twelve years old, residing at a distance in the country, progressively to every thing which might assist her in the hotter comprehension and application of the rules which arc contained in almost every pianoforte school.” 


This work contains ten letters, often illustrated with a few bars of music Czerny provided for his student: 


Letter I. First Rudiments of the Piano 

Letter II. On Touch, Tone, and the Mode of Treating the Pianoforte 

Letter III. On Time, Subdivision of the Notes, and Fingering 

Letter IV. On Expression, and Graces or Embellishments. 

Letter V. On the Keys, on Studying a Piece, and on Playing in the Presence of Others 

Letter VI. On the Selection of Compositions Most Suitable for Each Pianist 

Letter VII. Rudiments of Thorough-Bass 

Letter VIII. On the Formation of Chords 

Letter IX. Continuation of Thorough-Bass 

Letter X. On Extemporaneous Performance