The biography of Hélène de Montgeroult reads like a novel. Her great musical talent led to her being hailed as one of the finest pianists and improvisers of her time in pre-revolutionary France. When she tried to escape to Naples during the revolution, she was captured, but managed to return to France. There she worked for the Institut National de Musique, but was imprisoned again during Robespierre's Reign of Terror. Eventually, after receiving a pardon, she was appointed professor of piano at the Conservatoire de Musique in Paris. She was the first woman to hold such a position. She created a large body of compositions for piano and also compiled a piano method book containing 114 etudes. Clare Hammond has selected 29 particularly impressive pieces from this collection that showcase the unique talent of this female composer.
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