...an excerpt from a booklet from one of our publications... 0071

Johann Nepomuk Hummel | Music for guitar and piano duo
cd#1 Pot-pourri

Introduction

This album is dedicated to music for guitar and piano duo written by the renowned Austrian pianist-composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837). This singular formation of the guitar and piano was widespread at the beginning of the nineteenth century, particularly in Vienna, Paris and London.
With the transition from aristocratic to middle-class patronage, amateur musicians increased in number, and guitar and piano were among the most popular instruments in middle-class salons. Playing an instrument had an essential role in social advancement, both for women and men: it was considered a fashionable activity, the best way to be introduced in good society and possibly find a partner or (exclusively for men) a more lucrative working position.1 Consequently, it was common for family members to engage with different musical instruments and play together within the home, encouraging experimentation with new chamber ensembles, such as guitar and piano.
In a city like Vienna, where music had such an important role in society, the guitar and piano virtuosos capitalised on the instruments’ artistic and economic potential. They played an essential role in the spread and popularity of both instruments, while composing a substantial number of solo and duo works. The success of this duo was also an opportunity for them to perform publicly,