Outline information of Johann Nepomuk Hummel

Johann Nepomuk Hummel *Nov. 14, 1778 – †Oct. 17, 1837 Life: Born November 14, 1778 in Pressburg, Hungary (today Bratislava, Slovakia) Died October 17, 1837 in Weimar, Germany Studied under W. Mozart as a child for free of charge, at whose house in Vienna he lived at for 2 years (1786-1788) Toured with his father for four years through Bohemia, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, and England as a child-prodigy pianist While in England studied under Muzio Clementi for 1 year After returning to Vienna, studied with J.G. Albrechtsberger, Haydn, and Salieri From 1803 to 1811 served as chapelmeister to the Esterhazy family succeeding Haydn In 1818 was appointed chapelmaster at Weimar Served as a pallbearer at Beethoven’s funeral, his contemporary rival with whom he maintained an uneasy friendship Musical works had “graceful melodies and imaginative harmonic style, some of which continue to be heard in Germany and Austria today. 1. Joel Sachs, “A Checklist of the Works of Johann Nepomuk Hummel” Notes (1974): 732” As a teacher, taught Carl Czerny and even Mendelssohn for a short time Was praised by Chopin in a letter to Anne Caroline de Belleville, “you so marvelously interpret such great masters as Mozart, Beethoven, and Hummel, the masters of us all. 2. Elisa Koehler, “In Search of Hummel: Perspectives on the Trumpet Concerto,” International Trumpet Guild Journal 07 (2003):7-11” Works: Most significant compositions are for piano 28 Theme and Variations 9 Piano sonatas (includes two composed for 4-hands, 2 pianos) 14 Rondos 6 Fantasies Numerous other works, including a complete set of etudes in all keys App. 60 piano works total Organ Prelude and 2 fugues Ricercare in G Chamber music 8 Sonatas 4 sets of variations 10 trios 35 Chamber works total Solo instrumental music 13 Concerti 4 Rondos 3 Variations 27 Solo works total Today his Trumpet Concerto (1803) stands out as an oft played work known by all trumpet players Composed for the Keyed Trumpet, which was invented (debated) by Esterhazy’s “Theatre Trumpeter” Anton Weidinger in 1792 Haydn composed his trumpet concerto in 1796 for Weidinger and his keyed trumpet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzHR46yaveQ 24 orchestral works 9 Ballets, Pantomimes for orchestra 5 Works of incidental music 22 Opera’s, Singspiel, etc. 21 Sacred Works 14 Cantata’s, Oratorio 28 vocal solos Hummel’s Sonatas Studying with the 3 of the greatest composers of Sonatas (Haydn, Mozart, and Clementi) and being friends with another (Beethoven), we can find similarities of approach between them and Hummel By then the pianoforte was gaining in popularity, although publishers would continue to print compositions as “For pianoforte or harpsichord” in order to increase sales while the piano was still gaining popularity. The piano was continuing to go through changes, including increased range and experimentation with effect pedals Having lived during the transitional period from Classical to Romantic, his compositions displayed qualities more aligned with nineteenth-century Romanticism. Hummel’s Sonata’s, especially the Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, op 81, can be seen as pushing the sonata into the Romantic age, challenging the Classical form both in harmonic structures and length.