Noctave
The piece
Born in Rome and taken to England as a boy, Muzio Clementi built a London career as pianist, teacher, publisher and piano maker. His six Sonatinas, Op. 36, shrink the classical sonata to fit a student's hand. This first movement is a sonata form in miniature, in 2/2: a theme built on the C major chord, a second idea in G, a short development, then the opening returns.
The theme jumps from one chord tone to the next, so the right hand makes 46 quick leaps of at least an octave, against only ten in the left. Prepare each leap by looking at the landing note before you leave the one you are on, arm light. The theme's quarter notes sound well slightly detached and the scale passages in eighths fully legato; that contrast of touch gives the movement its character. The left hand has little to do, often a single bass note per half bar. Do not let it doze off, though: it is the one keeping the two-beat pulse.