[DTM Classic] J.N. Hummel / Variations on a Dutch Song in B-flat Major, Op. 21 - Brilliant Technique and Classical Charm
Programming Music
Hummel, Johann Nepomuk / Variations on a Dutch Song in B-flat Major, Op. 21
Programmed by Hummel Note
Daw & Sequencer: Dorico 5
Sounds: GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA (Piano)
Thumbnail images are generated by CyberLink PowerDirector
[Note] The AI-generated image of "Hummel giving a lesson to a noblewoman" in the video opening was created by generating the image with Gemini and then giving instructions to animate it using CyberLink PowerDirector.
[Note 2] The sheet music in the video is a screen capture of the performance used for programming, so it differs from published sheet music for performance.
[Preface]
It may be late to say this, but I suspect that many people, unless they are hardcore classical fans, do not know the name of the composer "Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837)." As one of the few students of the prodigy Mozart and a close friend of the musical saint Beethoven, he was an important musician who served as a bridge between the Classical and Romantic periods.
Among the more than 200 works Hummel left behind in his lifetime, his piano works are where his true value is particularly demonstrated. This time, I would like to introduce the "Variations on a Dutch Song in B-flat Major, Op. 21," which possesses a glamorous and sophisticated charm from his middle period. A surprising connection to his teacher, Mozart, was hidden in this piece.
[The theme is the Dutch national anthem! A "competition" with his teacher Mozart]
The theme of these variations is a patriotic song called "Willem van Nassau," which was widely loved in the Netherlands at the time. Surprisingly, this melody continues to be sung as the current Dutch national anthem.
And there is an even more interesting fact. Hummel's teacher, Mozart, also composed "7 Variations on 'Willem van Nassau', K. 25" using the exact same theme.
Mozart's Variations K. 25 (composed in 1766)
This is a work that shines with the talent of a young genius, composed when Mozart was only 10 years old. Written in a clear and elegant classical style, each variation is a concise yet creative, jewel-like, and lovely piece.
J.N. Hummel's Variations Op. 21 (published around 1806)
About 40 years after Mozart's work, his student Hummel sublimated the same theme into a more brilliant and technical concert piece. By this era, the piano as an instrument had significantly improved in performance, and it can be said that Hummel was drawing out its potential to the fullest.
The same melody changes its appearance: in the hands of the teacher, it becomes a work full of classical elegance, and in the hands of the student, it becomes a virtuoso piece that makes one feel the coming Romantic era. It is quite interesting to listen to and compare this "competition between teacher and student." However, since Mozart's work was composed when he was 10 years old, it is undeniable that one feels a sense of immaturity compared to the work of the adult Hummel, no matter how much of a genius he was, but Mozart's variations are also very charming.
[The charm of the music, where Hummel's technique shines]
Hummel's Variations Op. 21 consists of a theme, nine variations, and a brilliant coda (ending section).
After the approachable theme is presented, when the variations begin, it is truly Hummel's exclusive domain.
Light variations woven with glittering arpeggios and scales.
Lyrical variations in a minor key that show a mellow expression.
Majestic variations where powerful chords and octaves create a grand sound.
In these diverse variations, the buds of brilliant pianism that remind one of the later Chopin and Liszt are scattered throughout the neat stylistic beauty inherited from Mozart. To perform them, high-level techniques are required, such as a touch that clearly distinguishes each note and the skill for elegant and accurate ornamentation. In particular, the following points are key:
● Clear touch: A touch with even grains is essential so that each note can be heard clearly even in fast passages.
● Brilliant ornamentation: It is required to perform the ornamentation characteristic of Hummel's works elegantly and accurately.
● Expression of dynamics: It is important to richly express the differences in character between each variation through changes in dynamics (volume).
Hummel's Piano Variations Op. 21, which connects Mozart's elegance with the passion and virtuosity of the coming Romantic era, can be said to be a rewarding work that conveys his talent as a composer and pianist to the present day. However, it does not have the more lyrical atmosphere seen in his later works (only the 7th variation has an atmosphere like a lyrical movement of a Romantic piano piece). It is, at most, a declaration of the opening of the virtuoso era that is about to begin.
[Conclusion]
Mozart's elegance and the passion of the coming Romantic era. Hummel's "Variations on a Dutch Song, Op. 21," which connects the two, is a masterpiece alongside his Fantasia, Op. 18 and Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 20, among his rewarding middle-period works that convey his talent to the present day.
Please try listening to and comparing it with his teacher Mozart's K. 25, and enjoy how piano music evolved with the times, as well as the differences in the rich expressive power of the two geniuses. Surely, a new door to the profound world of classical music will be opened.