The German record company Dabringhaus
und Grimm must be one of my favourite
independent labels. I feel energised
by their fascinating and adventurous
choice of repertoire. This imaginative
and enthralling release of three rare
chamber works by Hummel splendidly maintains
the company’s tradition.
There can be no other
composer who had been surrounded by
as much great musical talent as Hummel.
Mozart took the young Hummel into his
home for music tuition and later received
instruction from the luminaries: Clementi,
Albrechtsberger, Haydn and Salieri.
He became acquainted with Beethoven
who was also to study with Haydn and
Albrechtsberger. Hummel had the best
possible classical teachers, and became
an eminent and brilliant concert pianist,
undertaking an extensive concert tour
of Europe and Russia as well as composing
a wide variety of works. He was the
last major representative of the Viennese
Classical School and the final remnant
of the classical tradition before the
Romantic age blossomed.
In 1804, Hummel was
employed by the Esterházy family
at the Eisenstadt Court as Konzertmeister,
taking over from Haydn, who was now
in retirement in Vienna. The appointment
was not without conflict and tension
being summarily dismissed following
a chaotic episode on Christmas Day 1808.
and was reinstated when the Prince relented.
Following frequent neglect of his duties
Hummel resigned his post with the Esterhazys
in 1811 and for the last time returned
to Vienna, where he lived as a teacher
and concert player. From 1816, he served
as Kapellmeister at the Stuttgart Court
and in 1819 was appointed Grand-Ducal
Kapellmeister at the Weimar Court.
The three scores featured
here are amongst those published several
times owing to their immense popularity
in private recitals. They created a
sensation at evening festivities in
Vienna’s imperial gardens. They contain
a plethora of quotations of popular
themes from the major operas of the
day, from composers such as Mozart;
Weigl; Cherubini; Grétry; Boieldieu;
Spontini and Paisiello. In fact, the
Potpourris could be described
as classical-era versions of ‘Top
of the Pops’.
In the booklet, Dieter
Klöcker describes these works as,
"middle-class musical amusements";
they were intended for private performance
in the homes of the bourgeoisie, where
the performers themselves often constituted
the audience. It is very possible that,
in the manner of a parlour game, the
audiences may have amused themselves
by trying to guess the title of the
opera that the themes came from and
the identities of their respective composers.
These musical circles were similar to
those that would soon gather around
Schubert, in the same city, known as
Schubertiades.
The Potpourri, for
Piano and Guitar, Op. 53 contains
themes from popular operas by Grétry,
Boieldieu, Spontini, Paisiello and Mozart’s,
Don Giovanni. The Grande Serenade
No. 1 follows a similar format to
the Op. 53 work. Hummel here draws on
operas by Weigl, Cherubini, Spontini
and three by Mozart: The Magic Flute,
The Marriage of Figaro and Don
Giovanni. Three virtuosic
variations on a theme by Cherubini are
provided, firstly for the guitarist,
secondly for the violinist and lastly
for the piano. The Grande Serenade
No. 2 Op. 66 is similar in character
to its contemporaneous sister-work Op.
63. However, the score to Op. 66 also
contains stage directions which involve
the players, with the exception of the
piano, moving themselves from their
original positions and repositioning
to new locations on the stage. It seems
possible that dancing and acting would
also be taking place on the stage. The
MD&G sound engineers have attempted
to make these stage movements audible
on this recording. Hummel borrows themes
from operas composed by Boieldieu, Cherubini,
Nadermann and Mozart’s La clemenza
di Tito and The Magic Flute.
Consortium Classicum
were founded in the early nineteen-sixties
by the eminent clarinettist Dieter Klöcker.
They not only perform the obvious standard
repertory, but are also determined to
rediscover and re-establish works that
have fallen into the wilderness. The
ensemble members are all soloists, professors
from music academies and leaders from
top-class orchestras.
Performances are delivered
with considerable aplomb. This is music
in a lighter vein than one generally
comes across on these review pages,
however, for sheer craftsmanship and
immense variety of melodic content,
the scores should not be underestimated.
This is music that has the sheer ability
to provide substantial pleasure. Consortium
Classicum are too professional to treat
this music with an attitude of lesser
respect than they give to more serious
music. There is a real sense of an authentic
Classical style in their articulation
and variety of tone colours. The Ensemble’s
natural musical instincts shine pleasantly
and confidently through to make a most
compelling, rewarding and invigorating
experience.
A superbly played disc
of music in a lighter vein provides
a refreshing change. Recommended.
Michael Cookson
Consortium Classicum: Dieter Klöcker, clarinet;
Helman Jung, bassoon; Andreas Krecher, violin;
Sonja Prunnbauer, guitar; Thomas Duis, piano 
