A precociously gifted Austrian pianist, Carl Czerny is best known for his piano studies, especially those collected in his Complete Theoretical an Practical Pianoforte School.

At the age of ten he became a pupil of Beethoven and made his first public appearance in Vienna in 1800, when he played Mozart's C minor Piano Concerto.

He was subsequently renowned for his interpretations of Beethoven’s piano music with its demands for a legato style suited to the newer forms of the instrument.

Czerny gave up the life of a travelling virtuoso to become a composer and piano teacher who counted Sigismond Thalberg, Franz Liszt and Stephen Heller among his numerous pupils.

Czerny's chief compositions were in the form of exercises and studies, of which he wrote a very large number, up to his Opus 861, Studies for the Left Hand.

His other piano music consists of Sonatas and Sonatinas, with various medleys, variations and other shorter pieces.

He wrote music for piano duet and up to four players, with many arrangements and transcriptions.

With his usual facility, Czerny wrote a certain amount of organ music, of which the Prelude and Fugue is a characteristic example.

Czerny's symphonies, overtures and concertos are generally unknown, some of which remain unpublished.

Czerny wrote a certain amount of chamber music, generally in a form involving the piano in some way, whether in piano trios or piano quartets, including one work for four pianos.

Even less known must be Czerny's church music, which includes settings of the Mass, Graduals, Offertories and other liturgical works.