Elementos de Musica e Methodo de Tocar Piano Forte de João Domingos Bomtempo: fontes e datação

Abstract

This study focus on the Elementos de Musica e Methodo de Tocar Piano Forte by João Domingos Bomtempo, in its two versions. The first one, published in 1816, and the second one, an incomplete undated manuscript, which is a revised version of the printed edition. An attempt is made to clarify which are their main sources, comparing both versions with Clementi’s and Hummel’s piano tutors. On the one hand, we try to establish with a better accuracy Clementi's influence, already known, on the printed version. On the other, we try to demonstrate, for the first time, that Bomtempo used the method of Hummel in the elaboration of the second version. By doing so, we also propose to shorten the time interval of the new version’s possible date. We thus hope to contribute to frame Bomtempo’s method in the context of the piano tutors of the time.