Hummel, Johann Nepomuk

COMPOSER, PIANIST (HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE)
BORN 14 Nov 1778, Pressburg (now: Bratislava) - DIED 17 Oct 1837, Weimar, Thüringen
GRAVE LOCATION Weimar, Thüringen: Historischer Friedhof, Poseckscher Garten (At the eastern wall)

Johann Nepomuk was of Hungarian descent. He came to Vienna when he was eight years old because his father had become conductor at the Schikaneder Theatre. In Vienna the young boy impressed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and he became his pupil for the next two years. Between 1788 and 1793 he made concert tours through Europe and afterwards he studied composition with Albrechtsberger and Salieri.

In 1804 he succeeded Haydn as kapellmeister (musical director) in Eisenstadt. After seven years he was fired because he was inproductive. In 1813 he married the opera singer Elisabeth Röckel and Salieri was one of the witnesses to the marriage.

Hummel became Kapellmeister in Stuttgart (1816-1819) and in Weimar (from 1819 onwards). He was very successful as a pianist and a rival to Beethoven, with whom he had a difficult friendship that lasted until Beethoven's death.

Hummel was the author of 125 works and he played an important part in the establishment of copyrights. Although his fame was fading at the end of his life, he was an extremely rich man when he died.

Family
• Son: Hummel, Carl
• Wife: Röckel, Elisabeth (1813-1837)

Related persons
• was pupil of Albrechtsberger, Johann Georg
• visited Beer, Amalie
• was a friend of Beethoven, Ludwig van
• was teacher of Benedict, Julius
• was teacher of Czerny, Carl
• was a friend of Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
• was teacher of Hiller, Ferdinand
• was pupil of Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
• was pupil of Salieri, Antonio
• was painted by Schmeller, Johann Joseph
• was teacher of Silcher, Friedrich

Events
0/0/1837Johann Hummel recognises Charles Kemble on the streets of Weimar. Charles Kemble and his daughter were on their way to Karlsbad. During their stay in Weimar Hummel recognised Charles and invited them to his house. There he played the piano and Adelaide sang. [Kemble, Adelaide][Kemble, Charles]

Images

The grave of Johann Nepomuk Hummel and Elisabeth Röckel at the Friedhof vor dem Frauenturm, Weimar.
Picture by Androom (05 Feb 2005)

 

Plaque at the house where J.N. Hummel lived and died in Weimar.
Picture by Androom (01 Aug 2016)

 

Sources
• Blainey, Ann, Fanny and Adelaide, Ivan R. Dee, Chicago, 2001
• Dressler, Roland & Jochen Klauss, Weimarer Friedhöfe, Böhlau Verlag, Weimar, 1996
• Gorys, Erhard, Thüringen, Artemis Reis- en Cultuurgids, Kok Lyra, Kampen, 1996
Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1909), 1909


Humperdinck, Engelbert

Published: 11 Jun 2006
Last update: 20 Apr 2022