Symphony No. 41 KV 551

According to Mozart’s own thematic catalogue of his works (the Verzeichnüß), which he kept from 1784 to 1791, his final three symphonies were composed within the space of a few weeks, from late June to early August 1788. During that year the 11-year-old Hummel was a resident pupil of Mozart and would have been a daily witness to the creation of these seminal works of the Western musical canon.

There is an almost total lack of documentary evidence concerning the circumstances in which these symphonies were written, however, which has led to considerable speculation as to their origins, early performances and reception.

“These editions of transcriptions by Hummel are a very welcome addition to the extensive set of his arrangements of Mozart’s concertos and symphonies published by Edition HH. [They] are fine examples of the important genre of piano transcription of the orchestral and operatic repertoire [and] as such, they are greatly to be treasured by anyone with an interest in the burgeoning piano repertoire of the 19th century.”
The Consort, Vol. 79, 2023