(Yo’-han Ne’-po-mook Hoom’-mel) 1778–1837
Austrian composer and pianist

A child prodigy, Hummel studied with Mozart soon after moving to Vienna at the age of eight, and later studied with Albrechtsberger and Salieri. From 1804 to 1811 he was Konzertmeister to Prince Esterházy, composing for the chapel (most of his sacred works date from this period), and was later Kapellmeister at Stuttgart. In 1818 he moved to Weimar, where he conducted at the court theatre. He had a long-standing rivalry with Beethoven, which was reconciled only during Beethoven’s final illness (Hummel was a pall-bearer at his funeral). As a composer Hummel is generally known for his virtuoso piano works, although he explored most genres (he never wrote a symphony). His style is essentially late classical, bridging the gap between Mozart and Chopin, characterized by clarity of texture, embroidered melodic lines, and harmonic and formal solidity. His reputation now rests, perhaps unfairly, on only a fraction of his large output. Basically a conservative, Hummel nevertheless paved the way for the revolutionary composers of early Romanticism.

Recommended Recording:
Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3, Stephen Hough, English CO (cond) Bryden Thomson (Chandos)

Introduction | Early Romantic | Classical
Personalities | Friedrich Kuhlau | Early Romantic | Classical