Discovering Johann Nepomuk Hummel

[71 dB]

14 years ago I was wondering in this thread how to get into Hummel.
Today I still have ZERO CDs of his music and know nothing.
All these years went by concentrating on other things.
It's possible I will NEVER explore Hummel.
He is just one composer.

[SonicMan46]

14 years ago I was wondering in this thread how to get into Hummel.
Today I still have ZERO CDs of his music and know nothing.
All these years went by concentrating on other things.
It's possible I will NEVER explore Hummel.
He is just one composer.

Hey Poju - LOL!    The other day I went to the start of this thread in 2007 and you had posted a number of times - expected you to have at least a few Hummel discs by now?  But for me the 18th and early 19th centuries are probably my favorite period to explore and collect; and yes there are too many composers to consider - early last year in COVID isolation I went through my classical collection and probably culled out 20+% of the discs, mainly obscure composers, multiple duplicates, etc.  I've not bought much in several years and mainly replacements for CDs that I already own; plus, doing a lot more streaming (mainly Spotify on my son's family plan).  Dave

[DavidW]

I like seeing this thread.  Dave posts about Hummel to no reply.  The third age passes.  What was once lost was found again.  The black tower is rebuilt and Dave once again posts about Hummel to no reply.

[SonicMan46]

I like seeing this thread.  Dave posts about Hummel to no reply.  The third age passes.  What was once lost was found again.  The black tower is rebuilt and Dave once again posts about Hummel to no reply.

Hi David - LOL!    Poor Hummel, the Rodney Dangerfield of the composer world!    Dave

[DavidW]

He gets no respect, no respect at all!

Well maybe I should listen to his piano sonatas.  I usually listen to his chamber music.

[71 dB]

Hey Poju - LOL!    The other day I went to the start of this thread in 2007 and you had posted a number of times - expected you to have at least a few Hummel discs by now?  But for me the 18th and early 19th centuries are probably my favorite period to explore and collect; and yes there are too many composers to consider - early last year in COVID isolation I went through my classical collection and probably culled out 20+% of the discs, mainly obscure composers, multiple duplicates, etc.  I've not bought much in several years and mainly replacements for CDs that I already own; plus, doing a lot more streaming (mainly Spotify on my son's family plan).  Dave

Yeah, Dave. It is funny that I never ended up buying any Hummel CD. As I have been posting recently, I haven't been into classical obsessively as I used to be 20 years ago. Meanwhile I have been discovering quite a lot of non-classical music since 2008 or so. Spotify is of course one way to explore new composers...

[SonicMan46]

Keyboard Concertos - just for more completeness, Hummel wrote Piano Concertos (PC) and many other incidental piano works - he is stated to have composed 8 to 10 'Piano Concertos', some in his youth and at least 6 mature compositions - his mature works all have Opus numbers, as shown in the quote below; there is also a work from the Sachs catalog (letter 'S') written when he was around 20 y/o and rediscovered in the 1960s.

Today, I received the Brilliant Classics V.2 disc of that concerto w/ the Sachs number, plus the Concerto for piano, violin, & orchestra performed on period instruments w/ two different orchestras - thoroughly enjoyable (several reviews attached for those interested). The only other disc that I own w/ PCs Op. 85 & Op. 89 is with Stephen Hough (this was well received and not sure why he did not record more?).  For completeness, Howard Shelley has recorded most of these concertos w/ the London Mozart Players on Chandos (4 discs) - these are being sold on Amazon USA at full price - why Chandos won't just box these recordings is a little baffling to me - I'm sure the individual discs are not selling well (can't find any on BRO) - the recordings have received excellent comments and I would likely buy a box at a reduced price.  Dave

Op. 36, Concerto for Piano, No. 1 in C major (Vienna, circa 1811). a.k.a. Op. 34a-Shelley
Op. 85, Concerto for Piano, No. 2 in A minor-Hough
Op. 89, Concerto for Piano, No. 3 in B minor-Hough
Op. 110, Concerto for Piano, No. 4 in E major-Shelley
Op. 113, Concerto for Piano, No. 5 in A♭ major-Shelley
Op. post. 1 – Piano Concerto in F major-Shelley
S 4, WoO 24 – Piano Concerto in A major-FPBrilliant
*note available on CD w/ the performers shown (Source)

 

[Que]

Keyboard Concertos - just for more completeness, Hummel wrote Piano Concertos (PC) and many other incidental piano works - he is stated to have composed 8 to 10 'Piano Concertos', some in his youth and at least 6 mature compositions - his mature works all have Opus numbers, as shown in the quote below; there is also a work from the Sachs catalog (letter 'S') written when he was around 20 y/o and rediscovered in the 1960s.

Today, I received the Brilliant Classics V.2 disc of that concerto w/ the Sachs number, plus the Concerto for piano, violin, & orchestra performed on period instruments w/ two different orchestras - thoroughly enjoyable (several reviews attached for those interested).

Dave, I will definitely investigate those and give them a testrun on Spotify.

Thanks for posting!

Q

[SonicMan46]

Just a year since the last post, and I've updated my collection of Hummel Piano Concertos - there are eight piano concertos, as shown in the first pic below (BUT, I've added Op. 17 for piano & violin) - (MusicWeb) has a nice review - click link, if interested.  I now have 6 of the 8 on 5 discs (Shelley seemed to like to put just a single concerto on a recording w/ other works).  Dave

P.S. the recording on Brilliant is w/ fortepiano and is Vol. 2 - would buy Vol. 1 but cannot find a physical copy?

 

[SonicMan46]

Another review of my Hummel KB Sonatas - quote from a year ago w/ not much change - as stated below, he wrote 6 Sonatas w/ Op. numbers, and apparently 3 w/o a designation - I currently own 2 complete sets of the 'official' six works, one on modern piano w/ Hobson and one on fortepianos w/ Mastroprimiano, plus a single disc of 3 pieces w/ Stephen Hough - reviews are attached and the Hough recording is felt equal to if not better than Hobson (listening now and pleased w/ both), BUT Hough did no more sonatas.

Hummel wrote a lot more non-sonata piano music (see the link, if curious) but not much available - there is a well regarded recording w/ Howard Shelley (last pic at bottom below) that I might add if a 'used copy' is available and after reading some more reviews and checking Spotify.  So this and the previous post catches me up on my current collection of this composer's piano music - Dave

.............................
Keyboard Sonatas - Hummel wrote 6 Piano Sonatas w/ Opus numbers (listed below) - there are now an increasing number of recordings for selection - for these late classical-early Romantic composers, I usually like to have at least one modern piano performance and also one on a fortepiano (FP).  My current collection are the first 5 images (Ian Hobson has 3 CDs; the Mastroprimiano on FP is also 3 discs; the Hough has 3 of the 6 sonatas on one recording).

BUT, there are more - two complete sets (parts I've listen to on Spotify) on modern pianos include Antonio Pompa-Baldi & Constance Keene.................. Dave

Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 2a-No.3 (1792)
Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 13 (c. 1804)
Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 20 (c. 1807)
Piano Sonata No. 4, Op. 38 (c. 1808)
Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 81 (date?)
Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 106 (1824))

Piano Sonatas No. 7-9 - not in any catalog?  (Source)

   

 

[Spenserian]

Madoka Inui has another disc of solo piano works by Hummel released on Naxos. That disc, and a number of other Naxos discs are in Brilliant Classics' Hummel collection. You'll also find the CPO release Der Durchzug durchs Rote Meer on there. All chandos discs of Hummel come highly recommended! The Brilliant complete piano concertos are HIP, the Chandos aren't, which is convenient. I just ordered the Naxos disc of 2 piano concertos used, although reviews are less positive about it. Would highly recommend this for fans after sampling Chandos discs, and 20 CDs feels like exactly the right size:



His most famous work -- his Trumpet concerto -- who can recommend a recording of it?

[SonicMan46]

Madoka Inui has another disc of solo piano works by Hummel released on Naxos. That disc, and a number of other Naxos discs are in Brilliant Classics' Hummel collection. You'll also find the CPO release Der Durchzug durchs Rote Meer on there. All chandos discs of Hummel come highly recommended! The Brilliant complete piano concertos are HIP, the Chandos aren't, which is convenient. I just ordered the Naxos disc of 2 piano concertos used, although reviews are less positive about it. Would highly recommend this for fans after sampling Chandos discs, and 20 CDs feels like exactly the right size:

       

His most famous work -- his Trumpet concerto -- who can recommend a recording of it?

Well, there are so many choices depending on the combinations w/ other composers, often Haydn, and also on whether you prefer modern vs. period instruments - at the moment, I have the above inserted 3 recordings - love the Friedrich w/ the keyed trumpet - others will likely 'chime in' w/ their preferences.  Dave

[Spenserian]

Well, there are so many choices depending on the combinations w/ other composers, often Haydn, and also on whether you prefer modern vs. period instruments - at the moment, I have the above inserted 3 recordings - love the Friedrich w/ the keyed trumpet - others will likely 'chime in' w/ their preferences.  Dave

Thank you! I have these two at the moment:


Like to have a mix, both period and modern. Will check our the 3 you have.

[W.A. Mozart]

What do you think about the trumpet concerto?

- Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
- Conductor: Sir Neville Marriner
- Soloist: Håkan Hardenberger
- Year of recording: 1986

[SonicMan46]

What do you think about the trumpet concerto?

- Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
- Conductor: Sir Neville Marriner
- Soloist: Håkan Hardenberger
- Year of recording: 1986

Hi Wolfie - have not heard Hardenberger but this afternoon I've been listening to my collection of the trumpet concertos (top 3 images below) - lower pics of some other options, i.e. Alison Balsom & Hakan Hardenberger - attached PDF of numerous reviews, including several on Hardenberger which are quite good - consequently, I went to DISCOGS and ordered the Philips twofer shown below (used set for about $8 total).  Hope this helps you decide - will likely cull out one of my other recordings.  Dave

   

   

[W.A. Mozart]

Hi Wolfie - have not heard Hardenberger but this afternoon I've been listening to my collection of the trumpet concertos (top 3 images below) - lower pics of some other options, i.e. Alison Balsom & Hakan Hardenberger - attached PDF of numerous reviews, including several on Hardenberger which are quite good - consequently, I went to DISCOGS and ordered the Philips twofer shown below (used set for about $8 total).  Hope this helps you decide - will likely cull out one of my other recordings.  Dave

   

   

Thanks for your reply.

[DavidW]

Dave, I think I've actually heard all those recordings.  I've also heard the concerto live.  The Neruda work is also fine, and is underappreciated when compared to the great Haydn and Hummel imo.

[vers la flamme]

I've been interested in this composer ever since I first learned that he was a big influence on Chopin, but still have never really gotten into his music. I have one disc of piano sonatas by Stephen Hough, maybe I'll listen to that soon.

[Spenserian]

I had to work rather hard to track the only English language book on Hummel, Johann Nepomuk Hummel: A Musician's Life and World by Mark Kroll. It's a good read, very vernacular and fun despite ostensibly being academic. Each chapter focuses on aspects of his life or other composers whose works he influenced. You'd almost miss just how influential he was; his piano concertos were widely disseminated. Liszt played the B minor piano concerto in his Paris debut, and played the A minor in Vienna. He also greatly admired the Septet, writing that it never failed to have an excellent effect. Schumann included Hummel in a list of "muti-faceted refined composer-virtuosos", although he was often negative about his works. He respected the works widely considered the greatest, the two piano concertos in minor keys, his septet, and piano sonata in f-sharp minor, also loved by Chopin. Schubert was also influenced by Hummel, and probably based his 'Trout' quintet on Hummel's quintet. (In return, Hummel loved SChubert; Ferdinand Hiller describes him with tears in his eyes, listening to Schubert and a singer play his songs, I read in Bodley's recent biography of Schubert.) Stephen Walsh, in his recent book on Romanticism (The Beloved Vision), wrote that "Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Chopin all learnt from his example in one way or another". You start to wonder, after reading about him, why Hummel has been forgotten by history, when he was so important to contemporary composers.

I found comments Hummel made about Beethoven very telling about his place in music history. Apparently, he told his student Ferdinand Hiller that after Beethoven's appearance, he wondered if he should try and walk in his footsteps, felt lost, and finally decided to continue being himself. It feels like Hummel is the classical school continued without too much influnce from burgeonining romanticism, as if in acceptance that he could never match Beethoven. (Walsh calls him a transitional figure between classicism and romanticism.).

I have to admit that I listen to him with almost astounding frequency. Whenever I'm in for a fun, virtuosic work for piano and orchestra, I pick one of his many concertos or rondos. The Chandos label has been very loyal to Hummel, recording most of his concertos. Of course everyone recommends the disc of Stephen Hough playing the A and B minor piano concertos on Chandos, which was a big hit and was a revelation at the time, because the concertos were actually so difficult to play (Hough called learning them a "baptism by fire") that they had never before been recorded without cuts. There's an old and excellent article about them on musicweb, though dated.

[SonicMan46]

I had to work rather hard to track the only English language book on Hummel, Johann Nepomuk Hummel: A Musician's Life and World by Mark Kroll. It's a good read, very vernacular and fun despite ostensibly being academic. Each chapter focuses on aspects of his life or other composers whose works he influenced...............

Thanks for the mention of the Hummel biography - found a copy at my local Wake Forest University library to which I have a library card (Emeritus faculty member) - will take out soon.  Dave