Hummel: Piano Concerto in A Minor and B Minor

Hummel was the leading pianist and piano pedagogue of his day, a student of Mozart, Haydn, and Clementi, a rival of Beethoven, and a friend and inspiration to Chopin. John Field (creator of the piano nocturne) is said to have heard Hummel play without knowing who was performing, and declared, "That is either the Devil playing or Hummel!" Like Liszt, Hummel composed concerti to show off his extraordinary talents (perhaps why they are not often performed today). Stephen Hough is up to the challenge of playing these devilishly difficult concerti, and a better performance cannot be imagined.

After nearly 60 years of listening to classical music, I have distilled my experiences to determine which genre and period I like best: the piano concerto in the late classical/early romantic period, and I can't praise Hummel's music highly enough. He lived with, and was taught by Mozart for two years tuition free, received further instruction from Clementi, and was also a student of Joseph Haydn. Beethoven was a fellow-student, and the two became friends, though Hummel's music went in a different direction than Beethoven's. Hummel, while extremely versed in the disciplined and clean style of his teachers (as heard in his early work), became an important bridge between the Classical and Romantic periods, by challenging and stretching traditional forms in his ouevre for piano. Chopin was an admirer of Hummel's piano concertos, and was influenced in his own work by what he heard.Hummel's music was justly celebrated and admired during his lifetime. Beethoven particularly esteemed his friend's work. His melodies and sweeping lyricism are infectious, and his keyboard technique is matched by his orchestration in these, and the other six piano concertos he wrote (and those written for other instruments).Although famed while alive, after his death his music was looked upon as too old-fashioned, and fell out of favor. Thanks to the enormous undertaking by Chandos and Stephen Hough (and also Howard Shelley) we can enjoy his music which is seldom, if ever, heard in concert halls.

Aside from his trumpet concerto, Hummel is almost unheard of these days, yet during his lifetime he was considered a serious rival for Beethoven, and one of the greatest pianists of his day. A child prodigy and a pupil of Mozart, he and Beethoven were friends and contemporaries. His musical style bridges the classical style of Mozart and Haydn at the end of the eighteenth century and the romantic style of the 19th century. Stephen Hough's performances of two of Hummel's best piano concertos is marvelous, and I never get tired of listening to this CD. Also not to be missed is Hummel's concerto for piano and violin, opus 17.

I based this purchase on a tiny snippet heard in the background on internet radio. The music was engaging, but what caught my ear was the playing. I purchased the disc on a sort of whim, being relatively unfamiliar with Hummel. I am on cloud nine because I took the leap. It is a virtual tour de force by Mr. Hough. Hummel's work, I am sure, received short shrift later because it would destroy any but the finest players. Mr. Hough proves his mettle triumphantly! By approaching these works with respect, Mr. Hough et al can drag us (and an apparently grudging musical establishment) along and teach us to appreciate these glorious concerti for the extraordinary pieces they really are. Hough's precision and speed are supernatural; exactly the qualities required by the works. Icing on the cake is that he shows extraordinary skill in handling the dynamics & pacing as well as a keen sense of communication with the orchestra that borders on psychic. I am astonished and was moved to tears during several of the flourishes. How rare to be that moved by talent and ability in this day and age. The orchestral accompaniment is top flight and the production quality is superior. It is a stunner on all fronts!!Kudos to Chandos! It beggars belief that, as good as these are, I had heard Hummel's name mentioned maybe twice and actually had only heard one trumpet piece. A sad testament to his neglect. I am a convert!!! I cannot recommend this disc highly enough.

Great performance and sound quality of an under-appreciated composer. I think this disk is a better performance than the Chang/Budapest CD.

Before I bought this CD, the only Hummel composition I'd heard (due to Hummel's sad lack of recognition in these modern times) was his trumpet concerto, which surprised me with its effortless mix of Romantic feeling and Classical structure. These piano concertos are in much the same vein. The best description I can give is the virtuosity of Saint-Saens within the flawless structure of Mozart. They're really must-haves if you like any piano concertos from the late Classical or early Romantic era (Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, etc.). Their feeling is truly epic; they'll bowl you over not only with the grandness of their themes, but with the viciously fast, intricate passage-work required to play them. Listening to this recording, I found it almost impossible to believe that Stephen Hough could even play through these pieces--they make the grandiose Beethoven piano concertos sound like a stroll in the park. The piano playing is flawless and the orchestral backing from the English Chamber Orchestra is taut and energetic, crackling with power and, yes, passion too. In short, these concertos, particularly this recording of these concertos, are a hidden treasure of Romantic piano work that should not be missed. I guarantee you can't go wrong with this CD.

This is a beautiful recording of two of Hummel's piano concertos

Lovely music and a good service

Hummel is the most wonderful find - his work is up there with the greateat composers.

Enteckt hatte ich diese Aufnahme vor einiger Zeit auf youtube, und ich als Klassikliebhaber war begeistert, mit Hummels genialen Klavierkonzerten für einmal etwas anderes zu hören, als man schon zur Genüge kennt. Diese Begeisterung für Hummel und die Interpretation durch Stephen Hough hält auch jetzt an, wo ich die CD statt der eingeschränkten youtube Aufnahme spielen lasse. Allerdings gibt es eine gewichtige Einschränkung: Die Tonqualität (Dynamik) der Aufnahme lässt zu wünschen übrig, da hätte die kostennlose youtube Version genauso gereicht. Sehr sehr schade!

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT PERFORMANCES OF THESE HUMMEL CONCERTI THAT SHOULD BE PERFORMED OCCASIONALLY DESPITE THEIR REQUIREMENTS OF A VIRTUOSIC TECHNIQUE WHICH STEPHEN HOUGH HAS IN SPADES ! IF YOU LIKE STEPHEN HOUGH YOU WILL LOVE THESE PERFORMANCES.