This program is simply delicious. Who knew that Hummel wrote a series of variations on the tune “O du lieber Augustin,” complete with an episode in the spiciest Turkish manner (click on the sound sample below). If it doesn’t amuse you, then stick to Pfitzner. L’Enchantment d’Oberon and Le Retour à Londres are concert fantasias for piano and orchestra, almost tone poems, while the Concerto in A major is an early work dating from the late 1790s (or so it’s believed). The influence here, clearly, is Mozart, and the teenage Hummel has certainly learned his lessons well. It’s a lovely piece. As with other releases in this series, Howard Shelley plays Hummel with elegance and flair. Much of this music, particularly in the shorter concert works, is very brilliant and highly decorative, but Shelley never makes you feel as though it consists of empty note-spinning. The London Mozart Players accompany sensitively and with aplomb. A good time was clearly had by all, including the engineers, who provide vivid sonics.
