CONCERTO, SONATE, Symphony

Marcus van den Munckhof (cello), Cecilia Bernardini (violin), Anna Besson (flute) & Aurelia Visovan (pianoforte)

A pupil of Mozart, Johann Nepomuk Hummel was one of the most admired pianists of his era. His career began in Vienna at the time when Beethoven had just moved there. Like the latter, he belonged to that generation of composers whose output may be categorised somewhere between Classicism and burgeoning Romanticism. In addition to an extensive catalogue of original compositions, including piano works of high quality, Hummel also made numerous arrangements for chamber forces of orchestral compositions. Among these were the piano concertos of his teacher Mozart and the symphonies of his friend Beethoven, all of which he transcribed for piano, flute, violin and cello. The Romanian pianist Aurelia Visovan offers this particularly original programme for her album as winner of the 2019 Bruges MA Festival competition.

Beethoven:
 Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21

Hummel, J:
 Piano Sonata in F minor Op. 20

Mozart:
 Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K491

"Aurelia Visovan’s consummate performance of the F minor Sonata on a sublime 1835 Conrad Graf piano underlines how close Hummel was to Beethoven in using Mozart as a stylistic trajectory – comparisons with Beethoven’s first official sonata in the same key...However, I suspect the principal fascination here will be the two arrangements."
BBC Music Magazine - November 2020 ****