Hummel: Piano Concerto in B minor, Op. 89 / Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 85

On this CD:

1. Piano Concerto No.3 in B minor, Op.89
Composed by Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Performed by Slovak Radio New Philharmonic Orchestra with Dana Protopopescu
Conducted by Alexander Rahbari

2. Piano Concerto No.2 in A minor, Op.85
Composed by Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Performed by Slovak Radio New Philharmonic Orchestra with Dana Protopopescu
Conducted by Alexander Rahbari

Tracks:

Allegro Moderato
Larghetto
Rondo: Allegro Moderato
Allegro Moderato
Larghetto
Finale: Vivace

Customer Reviews:

The Unbreakable Hummel.......2006-06-04

Posterity has been pretty cruel to Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837). In his own time Hummel was regarded as a titan of performance and composition. A pupil of Mozart, he held his own despite being a direct contemporary (and therefore competitor) of Beethoven. Retrospectively, there are several reasons, fair on unfair, why his name is largely forgotten today. First of all, he had the monumental misfortune of being compositionally sandwiched between Mozart and Beethoven, plus Haydn was somewhere in there too. What can you really do with that? Considering such circumstances, it is testament to Hummel's skill that he avoided being completely obliterated by posterity. Many composers of "greater quality" who we listen to today probably would have sunk far more rapidly than Hummel, if given his position.

Hummel was also what I call an "On the Cusp" composer. I have listened to a lot of Hummel, and with so many of his compositions (not necessarily these) he was literally on the line between good and great. In a few, he does in fact cross that line into brilliance. Most notable among these pieces would be his Trumpet Concerto, his two septets, and Missa Solemnis. Easily comparable to Beethoven, had I not known it was Hummel, I would have assumed it was the former.

Also Hummel whether we like it or not, was confined to the classical idiom, despite living beyond it. He was not adaptive to the rising virtuoso styles of Liszt and Paganini. He lived until 1837, he knew what was coming. He saw the future and rejected it. This is not bad. It just means that a piano concerto from him can be a tad predictable. You have the extended orchestral opening, some pretty melodies, some basic up/down scale work, then a quicki larghetto, and finally finishing off with a festive finale. And this is fine. It's not necessarily atypical of the idiom. But it is among the best from within that idiom. Hummel was no mere imitator. These are not the compositions of a musical curiosity the likes of Ries or Thalberg. Hummel's pieces are charming works, and excellent examples of solidly composed and competently orchestrated classical piano concertos.

The concertos are outstandingly played by Hae-won Chang, and the Budapest Chamber orchestra led by Tamas Pal provides admirable accompaniment. The recording and sonic quality, (always something of a toss up with Naxos) comes through quite well.

This CD, by a criminally underrated composer, should be included in the collection of any fan of the concerto, or anyone desirous of expanding their musical pallet.

Highly Recommended

Rembrandt Q. Einstein

The Great History of Austrian Classical Music

Average customer rating:

Has anyone seen Bob in here?
Ignore the other other reviewer
ignore the other reviewer
Huh?

The Great History of Austrian Classical Music

Manufacturer: Columbia River Ent.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

Harpsichord Concerto: Allegro Moderato
String Quartet In D Major: Vivace
Largetto - Allegro - Largo-Allegro
Symphony No. 7: Allegro Moderato
'Mass' in E Minor: Kyrie
'Mass' in E Minor: Gloria
'Mass' in E Minor: Agnus Dei
Piano Concerto op. 204: Variations and Rondo
Harp Concerto in A Major: Allegro molto

Tracks:

Symphony No. 104 in D Major: Adagio - Allegro
Symphony No. 94 in G Major: Andante
Quartet op. 3/5: Serenade
Emperor Quartet: Poco Adagio cantabile
The Seasons: Finale - 'Dann bricht der grosse Morgen an'
String Quartet in A Major: Presto
Ave maris stella
Piano Concerto No. 2 in A minor: Allegro Moderato
Viel Larm um nichts: Stage music op. 11
Liebesfreud
Liebesleid

Tracks:

Tarantella Galop
Paganini: Liebe - du Himmel auf Erden
The Count of Luxembourg: Unbekkant - doch nicht minder interessant
The Czarevitch: Hab' nur dich allein
Quintetto concertante in F Major: Menuetto
Adagietto
Das Lied von der Erde: The Drunken One in Spring
Der Bettelstudent: Und da soll man noch galant sein
Der Bettelstudent: Nur das ein bitt' ich dich
Gasparone: Anzoletta's Song - 'Komm - mia bella'
Gasparone: Dunkelrote Rosen
Harpsichord Concerto: Allegro
Piano Concerto op. 14: Allegro
Symphony No. 40 in G minor: Molto Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 21: 'Elvira Madigan' Andante
Sonata No. 11 in A Major: Rondo alla Turca

Tracks:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Serenade No. 13 - Allegro
'Der Holle Rache'
Boys trio: :Bald prangt, den Morgen zu verkunden'
'In Diesen heil'gen Hallen'
O zittre nicht
Ave verum corpus
Requiem: Domine Jesu Christe
Laudate Dominum
Franz Lehrndorfer; organ: Hallelujah por la Resurrectione
Dance of the Elves
Tafelmusik: Intrada
Intermezzo from Notre Dame
Desire Waltz: Allegro Moderato
Desire Waltz: op 9a in A flat Major
The Trout Quintet: Andante - Theme with Variations

Tracks:

Der Erlkonig (Goethe)
Heindenroslein
Ungeduld
Rastlose Liebe
Die Winterreise: Der Lindenbaum
Carmen Quadrille
Radetzky March
The Blue Danube Waltz
Medley from 'Die Fledermaus': Champagne Polka
Medlef rom 'Die Fledermaus': So muss allein ich bleiben
Oje oje wie ruhrt mich dies
Medley from :Die Fledermaus': Klange der Heimat
Intermezzo from '1001 Nights'
Souvenior Polka
Galop of the Bandits
Boccaccio March
6 pieces for Orchestra, No. 1 - Langsam, No. 2 - Bewegt
Sei nicht bos
Faschingskinder

Customer Reviews:

Has anyone seen Bob in here?.......2006-05-23

Hey, has anyone seen my friend Bob in here? He said he'd meet me here. Oh well...

Ignore the other other reviewer.......2004-03-21

Five stars, one star, has anyone actually heard this recording? The first reviewer makes it pretty clear he's reviewing the search engine; the second reviewer is reviewing NOTHING.

ignore the other reviewer.......2004-03-19

I haven't heard this recording; I just wanted to give to something to boost its rating because obviously the other reviewer was writing a review of amazon's search engine and not this recording. I really don't know what rating it deserves, but seeing a recording w/ Wunderlich on it that gets one star just seems wrong.

Huh?.......2003-12-26

Oddly enough, Amazon's search engine brought me here when I was searching for "Blue Man Group"....unfortunately, the closest we get is the Blue Danube. Wonderful though it might be, it's NOT Blue Man Group.

Let me reiterate, there is NO Blue Man Group at all on this CD. Not even one track. None. Niente. Nada.

Heck, they aren't even Austrian. Or Australian, for that matter.

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra in B-Minor, Opus 89: Allegro Moderato
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra in B-Minor, Opus 89: Largetto
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra in B-Minor, Opus 89: Vivace
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra in A-Minor, Opus 85: Allegro Moderato
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra in A-Minor, Opus 85: Largetto
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra in A-Minor, Opus 85: Rondo

Customer Reviews:

A delightful and fascinating introduction to a fine composer!.......1999-04-15

One of the glories of budget CD labels is that one can take a chance and try works and composers with which one is unfamiliar. That's what I did with this recording on the fine Discover International label. And I was enchanted. Hummel was a child-protege of Mozart (and actually lived with him & his family for --I think it was -- two years) and became a highly regarded composer and performer. He might be termed one of the finest exponents of the late-Classical/Proto-Romantic style. He was a nice person, and was good friends with Beethoven, remaining faithful to him when others did not. His style is very like that of "First-Period" Beethoven, yet is quite individual, with a gentle lyricism contrasted with a sharp sense of fun, and a good quota of Sturm und Drang, too. These two concerti are splendid. I found them to be much more entertaining (and musically substantial) than the piano concerti of Mendelssohn, Weber, or Chopin, near contemporaries. His sense of orchestral coloring is subtle and rich at the same time, and at times quite startlingly original (in Op. 89 the slow movement is scored for piano -- and horns, Just piano and horns. And it works marvellously). This recording is also splendid: Rahbari's conducting and Protopopescu's playing are faultless, and the recording quality is excellent. It would be a fine recommendation at full price. At the actual price, ANYONE who loves Classical/Romantic music should try it! And a bit of trivia for you X-Files fans: in the "Chinga" episode (Season Five Episode 10) written by Stephen King, THIS RECORDING is the one that Scully was listening to while driving, and later in her hotel room. I had always suspected that Scully was a lover of classical music!
Anyway: if you find this recording-- now out of print, I think, and rather scarce-- snap it up! It will become a fine addition to your library-- and you will enjoy listening to it!

Hummel - Piano Concerto in a Minor Op. 85, Piano Concerto in B Minor Op.89

Average customer rating:

Hummel - Piano Concerto in a Minor Op. 85, Piano Concerto in B Minor Op.89

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000CQ40AI

Product Description

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in B-minor, Opus 29 ** Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A-minor, Opus 85

Average customer rating:

Hummel Piano Concerto in a Minor, Op. 85 Piano Concerto in B Minor, Op. 89

Manufacturer: MUSICAL HERITAGE SOCIETY
ProductGroup: Classical
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000KU3T8U

Product Description

PIANO CONCERTO IN A MINOR, OP. 85 1.ALLEGRO MODERATO (15:28) 2.LARGHRTTO (4:24) 3.RONDO: ALLEGRO MODERATO (10:24) PIANO CONCERTO IN B MINOR, OP. 89 4.ALLEGRO MODERATO (16:49) 5.LARGHETTO (7:53) 6.FINALE: VIVACE (10:51)

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