This new release from MDG presents Beethoven's 2nd and 5th symphonies in Hummel's transcriptions for chamber ensemble, performed here by ensemble1800berlin. Accurately historically informed and on instruments of Beethoven's time, the ensemble1800berlin presents these extraordinary treasures with unmistakable joy in making music, but also with respect for the incomparable original and the ingenious arrangement. A fascinating testimony to the times - through Hummel's chamber music glasses a completely new, exciting view of Beethoven and his time!

ensemble1800berlin has dedicated itself to the revival of high-quality re-creations for chamber ensemble of large-scale orchestral works. Many of these works have been somewhat forgotten, but, on composition, these 19th century arrangements were often equally appreciated alongside the original by their contemporaries.

Arrangements of large-scale works were hugely popular, since a symphony orchestra was not always available to perform them - Beethoven's symphonies alone were in circulation in more than 50 versions for every conceivable instrumentation.

any early 19th-century arrangers could say they were lucky if their name was mentioned at all on the editions of sheet music. Then again, Johann Nepomuk Hummel found his name printed a tiny bit larger on the title page than that of Beethoven, whose symphonies he arranged for an unusual piano quartet instrumentation. In order to channel the proliferation of sometimes amateurishly executed works, Beethoven himself sought arrangements by colleagues he deemed worthy - Hummel was expressly one of them.

And Hummel knew how to use his talent: he makes his own edits to Beethoven's indications of articulation and phrasing in a thoroughly idiosyncratic manner in order to do justice to the distinctive instrumentation of piano, flute, violin and violoncello. Considering Hummel's place as a keyboard virtuoso, it is not surprising that the piano is often entrusted with the largest part of the music within his arrangements.

Performers on this disc:

Andrea Klitzing, transverse flute

Thomas Kretschmer, violin

Patric Sepec, violoncello

Lucas Blondeel, fortepiano