Hummel Analysis

1081 Words3 Pages

While this article offers much of the same biographical information as a few of the other ones, it centers on the rediscovery of Hummel. The point the author emphasizes is that Hummel was lost amid the many years of appreciating other classical composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and others. However, in 1958, he was rediscovered and his trumpet concerto was the principal means by which people rediscovered this wonderful composer. It made his music accessible to many, and this opened up an archive of wonderful music that he wrote. This is a vital piece of information to the project because the concerto’s 1958 recording was the first in the history of the piece. Therefore, that recording could be quite useful in order to serve as a model for style.

In this article, the author offers clear criticism of Hummel’s work. This article presents a side of Hummel that is quite interesting because it shows why some might consider him to be unpopular among certain circles. The author plainly states that the greatest work Hummel ever wrote is his Grand Sextet for Pianoforte, Stringed and Wind Instruments. While the author is highly critical of him, he states at the very end the importance to research and study Hummel’s works. This is an important article because it gives an opposing viewpoint on Hummel’s work. This is important because it demonstrates how important it is to consider as many possible points of opinion with regard to a piece of music. With a large, broad understanding of the piece, one can competently and accurately perform the piece in its proper context and style. If these considerations are absent from the performer’s mind, the likelihood of incorrect historical performance is then strengthened.

This ar...

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...s. In short, this is an important issue to consider because composers deserve to be financially credited with their work.

This article furthers discussion on Hummel’s life and his contribution, namely the Trumpet Concerto. A critical point that was made is that, “The Trumpet Concerto is Hummel’s most-recorded work” (201). The article discusses briefly that the three movements of the piece are highly virtuosic and show different aspects of the trumpet. This is important to understand as a performer for several reasons. One, it makes the player aware that performing this work is akin to playing three separate concertos in certain respects because the requirements of the performer are incredibly demanding. Two, it makes the player aware of the different styles of the three movements, and the importance of recognizing the individual character of each movement.

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