Keene plays Hummel

[Rach3]

Listening today to my cd of the late Constance Keene's recording of the Hummel Piano Sonata No.5 in F sharp minor, Op.81 ( 1819 ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdbLs-Z ... j_MMNXZhuP

Great slow mov. seems out of a bel canto opera ( Bellini 1801-1835 ), anticipates in a few places the Larghetto mov. of Chopin's 2nd PC ( 1829 ) ; the Hummel final mov. echoes of "Erlkonig " ( 1815 ) ? I read somewhere it was while he was trying to learn this Sonata that Robert Schumann constructed his practice device injuring himself.

[John F]

Hummel's piano sonatas are well worth hearing. I didn't know that Constance Keene played any of them, so your comments are interesting. Ian Hobson's set of the six with opus numbers is excellent and I and recommend it.

[Donald Isler]

1) I never before heard the story of Schumann injuring himself while practicing that sonata. Interesting!

2) Yes, recording the Hummel sonatas was one of Constance Keene's last major projects, and these recordings were generally very well received. I think Harold Schonberg said something like "One should stand up and cheer!", so impressed with them was he.

[Lance]

Have the Keene recordings - love 'em! - And the Hobson. Both superb.

[Rach3]

1) I never before heard the story of Schumann injuring himself while practicing that sonata. Interesting!

I searched in vain for my source. I did find this note in the Hyperion liner notes for Hough's cd:
" Of all Hummel’s keyboard sonatas, the Sonata in F sharp minor, Op 81 (1819) is the most adventurous, the one that turns its back resolutely on the Classical era and hoists its colours to the new expressiveness of Romanticism. On this occasion, the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung reviewer found the work ‘meaningful, noble, spirited, pathetic, skilful, logical, novel, and pianistically resourceful to an extent truly deserving the term “Grosse Sonate” and making it the finest, also the most difficult, among all sonatas to date’. The youthful Schumann struggled to master this ‘epic, Titanic work’, the one composition of Hummel’s that would survive, he later considered. "

Other Internet sources doubt the device and attribute the problem to syphilis Schumann allegedly had.

[Rach3]

An academic study of Hummel's influence on Chopin:

https://repository.asu.edu/attachments/ ... _12884.pdf

[Ricordanza]

1) I never before heard the story of Schumann injuring himself while practicing that sonata. Interesting!

I thought that Schumann injured himself while using a mechanical device to improve the strength and flexibility of his fingers.

[Rach3]

I thought that Schumann injured himself while using a mechanical device to improve the strength and flexibility of his fingers.

Yes, I was not clear. My recollection of the info I read somewhere was Schumann was using the device , in part , to help him with the Hummel, as well as with other works. As the Hyperion liner notes suggested, the Hummel 5th Sonata a work with which he struggled. But, I cant find my source.

[Rach3]

Hummel’s great A minor PC, Op.85, Hough’s recording :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTjJNO_U5kY

[maestrob]

Hummel’s great A minor PC, Op.85, Hough’s recording :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTjJNO_U5kY

Have had the MHS issue of this since it came out 30 years ago. You can hear shades of Chopin developing in these very under-rated minor masterpieces.