As time goes on I’m enjoying Hummel’s music more and more. Today I downloaded some piano concertos. Here’s a short second movement from his piano concerto in A flat major
Hummel piano concerto in A flat major
This Sunday, April 28, 2013 I’m presenting an all Hummel program in my new role as a DJ! Whist researching for the program I came upon this web site:
www.jnhummel.info
It gives an insight into just how great Hummel was as a composer and links to how and where you can enjoy his music. Also if you use the search function here on my web site you’ll find several postings with his music.
Today I was listening to my iPod to a playlist that contains a lot of my favorites. I was only listening with half an ear but kept thinking it was probably Beethoven. Each time the gentle, melodic and lyrical riff appeared (the one that starts the piece) I thought … aaahh yeah it probably is him. (*NOTE: Serious Beethoven lovers please forgive this dilettante!) Still in all I have listened to a lot of Beethoven and he’s my favorite. It must say something for Hummels’ mastery as a composer.
Here’s Hummel’s Fantasie op. 18 Larghetto e Cantibile
For more on Hummel (how he was a fellow student with Beethoven and when B appeared it nearly destroyed H’s confidence!) see this posting
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/2010/12/20/hummel-redux/
About time that I posted some full compositions. You may have noticed that I tend to only present one movement from a Concerto or Symphony or Sonata; rather than all the movements. Invariably it’s the second movement – due to my preference for slow, melodic, thoughtful, melancholic!, peaceful etc. I suppose in a way it’s not really fair to the composer not to present his/her entire statement.
Recently a person in my town asked if I ever posted entire compositions. He didn’t ask the question in a judgmental fashion, just politely inquired. It has “niggled” at me ever since. So… Istvan … here’s a post for you!
(* I’ll place this posting in the Long Playing sections)
Francois Devienne (1759 – 1803) was known as “The French Mozart”
Francois Devienne – Bassoon sonata I in C major, Op. 24
Beethoven – Piano Sonata no. 23 Appassionata
Johann Nepomuk Hummel: One of the greatest of the ‘ignored and forgotten’ composers!
Hummel – Sextett Fur Blaser In F Major
Haydn – Symphony No. 104 In D Major (”London”)
Mozart – Piano Sonata No- 13
Clara Schumann, Robert’s wife – who decided late in life she just didn’t have what it takes to be a composer!
Hmmm … I beg to differ!
Clara Schumann Drei Romanzen, Op 22
HUMMEL WAS: Taught by – and housed for 2 years at 8 years old – by Mozart! Received further instruction from Muzio Clementi. Haydn composed a sonata for him! He was then taught by Albrechtsberger, Haydn and Salieri. Beethoven became a fellow student and friend. (Beethoven’s arrival was said to have nearly destroyed Hummel’s self-confidence, though he recovered without much harm.) He became good friends with Schubert and Goethe and Schiller! He taught Carl Czerny who later taught Liszt. (Czerny had first studied with Beethoven, but upon hearing Hummel one evening, decided to give up Beethoven for Hummel.) Mendelssohn was also a student, and he had an influence on the early works of Chopin and Schumann.
And Yet! He somehow faded into relative obscurity compared to the above-mentioned composers, who went on to become celebrated and their music featured in the Classical repertoire. It seems like sometimes it’s just the ‘luck of the draw.’
Lovely stuff: Hummel’s Piano & Violin Concerto, Op. 17 – II. Andante con moto
II. Andante con moto
In the post “Trumpet Synaesthesia” I made a half joking attempt to sum up the sound of the trumpet. In this post I’ll admit to being stumped … as to how one could describe the Trumpet’s Beauty in words. (* only an idiot tries to describe music with words!) Anyway here’s the beauty of the trumpet by a few Masters. (the player is darn good too! – Rolf Smedvig)
MergeTrumpet
Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: I.
Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: II.
Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: III. Finale
Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: I.
Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: II.
Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: III. Rondo
Torelli: Trumpet Concerto in D major: I. Allegro
Torelli: Trumpet Concerto in D major: II. Adagio
Torelli: Trumpet Concerto in D major: III. Allegro
These are the sweetest little musical ‘squeaks’ I’ve ever heard!
4 squeaks starting about 4 minutes and 45 seconds in, up to 5:25 It’s a nice piece of music worth listening to anyway. But just dig those squeaks. (it’s the Oboe)
Johann Nepomuk Hummel / Introduction, theme and variations in F major / Allegretto Op. 102
Hummel introduction theme and variations for Oboe and Orchestra Op. 102 Allegretto
I didn’t know anything about Johann Nepomuk Hummel until my Dentist mentioned him the other day. My dentist is a Classical Music buff and I’d given him a 2 volume CD Set titled: In the Dentist Chair:
(It was all the music I thought folks might like to hear midst the trauma of drilling and vacuuming spit!)
As a result I’ve been on a Hummel Hunt.
At first it was like listening to a student of Mozart (as he was!) – but the more I listened and researched, the more I realised he was an accomplished and important composer in his own right. He’s one of those who went out of fashion shortly after they died, and are making a “Comeback” as I type.
The Great composers he actually ‘hung out’ with, and/or influenced by teaching them is amazing. Then if you add the composers who taught or influenced him … you come up with a Who’s Who of the “Classical to Romantic Bridge Period.”
Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Haydn, Czerny, Liszt, Schumann, Schubert and the list goes on.
Here’s to a Hummel comeback! Next time you hear of a Hummel concert in your area – GO!
Later – P.S. – just found this on a music site: Historians tell us that pianist and composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel was spoken of in the same breath as Mozart and Beethoven in 1820 — but not for long…
Hummel piano-concerto-no-2-allegro-moderato
Theme and variations introduction Allegro
Bassoon-concerto-romanza-andantino-e-cantbile