Johann Nepomuk Hummel- Concerto for piano, violin & orchestra in G major, Op. 17

 

Johann Nepomuk Hummel

Portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820

 

(14 November 1778 – 17 October 1837) was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist.

His music reflects the transition from the classical to the romantic musical era.

 

 Concerto for piano, violin & orchestra in G major, Op. 17

[This edition is based on original Traeg Edition, Vienna, 1805.” (notes by Gregory Rose)]

Alexander Trostiansky (violin), Polina Osetinskaya (piano), Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Gregory Rose (conductor) 1. Allegro Con Brio – 00:00​ 2. Andante Con Moto – 15:35 3. Rondo –27:09

 

Johann Nepomuk Hummel was born in Pressburg, now Bratislava, in the Slovak Republic, and was considered one of Europe's finest pianist-composers. A child prodigy, he became a pupil of Mozart at the age of eight, the two forming a life-long friendship. His successful debut concert as a pianist in 1787 was followed in 1788 by a four-year tour to Germany, Denmark, Scotland and England with his father, the conductor Johannes Hummel. On his return, Johann studied with Albrechtsberger, Salieri and Haydn while he himself taught, performed and composed. It was during this period that he formed a long, stormy friendship with his great rival, Beethoven. 

 

In 1804 he was appointed Konzertmeister to Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy at Eisenstadt, following the retirement of Haydn, a post he retained until 1811. While at Eisenstadt he composed several concertos, sacred works, including five large-scale Masses, and many works for solo piano. He also composed a number of short theatrical pieces, and minuets and dances for orchestra. In 1811 Hummel returned to Vienna and continued live as a pianist and composer. Hummel composed about a dozen works for piano and orchestra between 1805 and his death, over half of which bore the title 'concerto'. There are 54 volumes of Hummel's manuscripts in the British Library in London, which were purchased in 1884, and amongst these is a volume containing an incomplete Violin Concerto, bound together with the famous Trumpet Concerto. Therefore it is likely that he abandoned work on the Violin Concerto, intending to take it up at a later date, and preferred instead to compose the Concerto for Piano and Violin. The appearance of the Violin Concerto by his great rival Beethoven in 1806 could easily have dissuaded him from completing his own concerto.

 

The Concerto for violin and piano dates from 1804 and is in the traditional three movements. The delightful interplay between the two instruments displays less virtuosity than Hummel employs in his solo concertos, but nevertheless many passages are considerably florid. In the opening movement the instruments take it in turns to introduce melodies, with the second instrument often developing the material, frequently introducing more elaborate decorations. It is of particular interest than Hummel should have composed his own cadenza in this movement since it was often left to the soloists or to fellow composers to add these. In the second movement he uses one of his favourite musical forms, the theme and variations of which there are six, and he completed the concerto with a playful Rondo, for which I have composed a cadenza. In the middle section of this movement Hummel deviates into the minor key, producing a short episode of gravity as a contrast to the high spirits of the original theme.  (notes by Gregory Rose)

 

 

Eine Aufzeichnung vom 14. Juni 2019, Funkhaus Wallrafplatz, Köln.

00:00 I. Allegro con brio
14:10 II. Andante con Variazioni. Andante con moto
23:21 III. Rondo (Allegretto)

Herbert Schuch, Klavier
Mirijam Contzen, Geige
WDR Sinfonieorchester
Reinhard Goebel, Leitung