Czerny << CHEHR nee >>, Karl (1791-1857), was an Austrian composer, teacher, and pianist. He composed more than 1,000 works in a wide variety of instrumental and vocal forms. He also arranged many works by other composers for piano. His reputation rests largely on his many instructional compositions for piano, called études.
Czerny was born in Vienna. He was a friend of the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven and studied with him from 1800 to 1803. Early in his career, Czerny gave frequent piano recitals. But he gradually gave up public performing and concentrated on teaching and composing. Czerny became a highly successful teacher of many pupils.
