Muzio Clementi was famous throughout his lifetime as both a composer and a virtuoso performer, appearing at the court of France and competing with Mozart in Vienna. His early piano sonatas, which greatly impressed the young Beethoven, were of considerable importance in the development of piano technique and its expressive possibilities. With their emphasis on dynamic contrast, singing lines and emotional impact, these pioneering pieces are arguably among the most influential in the transition of keyboard music from the classical to the romantic style.