Hummel Note
Research notes of composer Hummel
The life of Johann Nepomuk Hummel
7. Happy Weimar era (1)
Hummel's contract at Weimar was ideal. Unlike his days in Esterházy and Stuttgart, he was given considerable rewards and freedom, and it became an environment where he could freely take concert tours.
Hummel learned at the end of 1817 that the post had remained vacant since the death of Bach's godson Müller, who had been Kapellmeister in Weimar since 1756. At that time, the Principality of Weimar had a good reputation for protecting and promoting the artistic field. The famous Johann Sebastian Bach was also active here in the first half of the 18th century. Ernest Augustus II then paid for this court.
After her husband's death, Duchess Anna Amalia (Ernest's widow) takes over the reigns in place of her young son Karl-August. Anna is a writer and philosopherChristoph Martin WielandIn 1772, he invited Wieland to tutor his two sons. His post as educator lasted until 1775, after which he served at the Weimar court. Thanks to such an education, his son Karl was also enthusiastically engaged in the development of education, culture and art.
The first thing Carl did when his reign beganFor one thing, I have known him for two years and I respect him very much.wasJohann Wolfgang Goethe, a court adviser of the Principality of Weimar (later a privy councilor,politicsAppointing him as Minister of State, in other words, where he also served as prime minister.
Ever since Goethe arrived in Weimar in 1775,Schiller (settled in Weimar in 1787) and HellTo leave a name for future generations, such as dabecomeLike a Giant of German Literature Visits Weimarbecame a stronghold of German Classical LiteratureNariichi RhubarbThe golden age had arrived.
and Karl's eldest son, Karl Friedrich, became Emperor of Russia in St. Petersburg.daughter of Pavel IMaria Pavlovnamarried to she loves music andIn the field of arts and culture, famous musicians are gathered and theaters are enriched, making it a city of culture and arts.It contributed to the development of the city.
It is during this period that Hummel comes to work. His name recognition, achievements, ability as a composer and performer, and Mozart's direct disciple and successor... At the beginning of 1819, for Hummel, he was music director of the Weimar court. The contract here was very different from Hummel's Esterhazy era and Stuttgart era, and he was given considerable rewards and freedom, and it became an environment where he could freely take his performance tour. Of course, there were many things he had to do here, such as concerts, managing events, organizing documents, inviting and entertaining cultural figures and musicians, composing music, and interacting with Goethe. I was given a house and an environment where I could enjoy a comfortable family life. He was able to fulfill his great ambition of being productive in music and protecting his family.
Empress Maria Pavlovna, a music lover, was the first to apprentice to Hummel and learn to play the piano. After that, an increasing number of musicians visited Hummel together with Goethe. Zelter and his disciples, the Mendelssohn brothers, visited many times. Serious musicians who were his apprentices included Louise Faranch, Ferdinand Hiller and Adolf von Henselt. It seems that Schumann and others were also worried about whether to study under Hummel.
*Digression* He had many disciples during his time in Vienna, but Mozart's youngest son, Franz Xaver, was only pushed into his widow Constanze (who was also his second mother in his childhood), but it is an interesting episode. , Adam Liszt, a colleague in the Esterházy era, brought along a talented son, but Hummel's lesson fee was too high and he gave up. Franz Liszt ended up knocking at Karl Czerny's gate. However, Liszt has featured Hummel's piano works and concertos many times in his concerts. In particular, A minor Op.85 and B minor Op.89 were the main repertoire where Liszt's technique was fully demonstrated. Liszt's debut concerts in Vienna, Paris and London were all in B minor, Op.89. Even in his later years, Liszt had his disciples study pieces by Mozart, Beethoven, Hummel, and Czerny.
His main duties were to conduct at the court theatre, but even here the contract was lucrative and he did not have to deal with "stupid" operas, nor did he have the ever-controversial power to decide the tempo. given to him. The repertoire has changed to include works by important composers of the past, as well as newer operas by Rossini, Aubert, Meyerbeer, Hélévy, Spohr and Bellini. During his tours, Hummel met and hired talented foreign singers, which brought considerable success to the production of these operas. In 1821, there is a record that he performed an adaptation of his own Matilde of the Guises, Op.100.
Overture and Duet from Opera "Matilda of the Guises" Op.100