Ferdinand Hummel
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand Hummel German harp player, pianist
, conductor and composer
.
Hummel started as a child prodigy, and his father, who was a flute player in the Royal Orchestra in Berlin, took care of his son's first musical training instructing him in both the piano and the harp from the age of four (some say seven) gaining a King Wilhelm von Preussen Stipendium, so he could study with Antonio Zamara at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna.
In the years 1864 to 1867, the boy toured with his father to South and North Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Russia, where he was hailed as a great harp virtuoso. Through a Royal grant, he later went to study at New Academy of Music, Berlin (Theodor Kullak
's institute) from 1868 to 1875 and later at the Royal High School for Music and Composition with Woldemar Bargiel
and Friedrich Kiel
as his prime teachers.
After his education, he functioned as harp player in B. Bilse's Orchestra, which was later to become the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1892, Hummel was appointed leader of the stage music at the Royal Theatre in Berlin, becoming director from 1897 to 1917.
As a composer, Hummel was very productive writing operas, chamber music, piano pieces and choral works. Today his music is mostly forgotten, but his operas are at least of some interest since they form a German equivalent to the Italian Verismo-style of Puccini, Mascagni and Leoncavallo.
A list of his operas include: Mara op. 61 (1893), Angla op. 60 (1894), Ein treuer Schelm op. 64 (A faithful rogue) (1894), Assarpai op. 65 (1898), Sophie von Brabant (Sophie from Brabant) (1899). Die Beichte op. 69 (The Confession) (1900), Die Gefilde der Seligen (The Field of the Holy Ones) (1917) and Jenseits des Stroms (On the Other Side of the Stream) (1922).
Besides the previously mentioned musical compositions, Hummel composed music for the plays Das heilige Lachen (The Holy Laughing) and Sakuntala — both in 1903. Further he composed a symphony in D major op. 105, a piano concerto in B flat major op. 35, a piano quintet, a violin sonata, a horn sonata and other minor works.
He is not related to Johann Nepomuk Hummel
(1778–1837).
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, conductor and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Hummel started as a child prodigy, and his father, who was a flute player in the Royal Orchestra in Berlin, took care of his son's first musical training instructing him in both the piano and the harp from the age of four (some say seven) gaining a King Wilhelm von Preussen Stipendium, so he could study with Antonio Zamara at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna.
In the years 1864 to 1867, the boy toured with his father to South and North Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Russia, where he was hailed as a great harp virtuoso. Through a Royal grant, he later went to study at New Academy of Music, Berlin (Theodor Kullak
Theodor Kullak
Theodor Kullak was a German pianist, composer, and teacher.-Background:Kullak was born in Krotoschin in the Grand Duchy of Posen, in Wielkopolska - western part of Poland taken during the second partition of Poland by Kingdom of Prussia. He began his piano studies as a pupil of Albrecht Agthe in...
's institute) from 1868 to 1875 and later at the Royal High School for Music and Composition with Woldemar Bargiel
Woldemar Bargiel
Woldemar Bargiel was a German composer of classical music.-Life:Bargiel was born in Berlin, and was the half brother of Clara Schumann. Bargiel’s father Adolph was a well-known piano and voice teacher while his mother Mariane had been unhappily married to Clara’s father, Friedrich Wieck. Clara was...
and Friedrich Kiel
Friedrich Kiel
Friedrich Kiel was a German composer and music teacher.Writing of the chamber music of Friedrich Kiel, the famous scholar and critic Wilhelm Altmann notes that it was Kiel’s extreme modesty which kept him and his exceptional works from receiving the consideration they deserved...
as his prime teachers.
After his education, he functioned as harp player in B. Bilse's Orchestra, which was later to become the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1892, Hummel was appointed leader of the stage music at the Royal Theatre in Berlin, becoming director from 1897 to 1917.
As a composer, Hummel was very productive writing operas, chamber music, piano pieces and choral works. Today his music is mostly forgotten, but his operas are at least of some interest since they form a German equivalent to the Italian Verismo-style of Puccini, Mascagni and Leoncavallo.
A list of his operas include: Mara op. 61 (1893), Angla op. 60 (1894), Ein treuer Schelm op. 64 (A faithful rogue) (1894), Assarpai op. 65 (1898), Sophie von Brabant (Sophie from Brabant) (1899). Die Beichte op. 69 (The Confession) (1900), Die Gefilde der Seligen (The Field of the Holy Ones) (1917) and Jenseits des Stroms (On the Other Side of the Stream) (1922).
Besides the previously mentioned musical compositions, Hummel composed music for the plays Das heilige Lachen (The Holy Laughing) and Sakuntala — both in 1903. Further he composed a symphony in D major op. 105, a piano concerto in B flat major op. 35, a piano quintet, a violin sonata, a horn sonata and other minor works.
He is not related to Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era.- Life :...
(1778–1837).