Piano Quintet (Hummel)

The piece is written for a then-common combination of instruments in a piano quintet; namely, the piano is joined by violin, viola, cello and double bass^[2] (the double bass is replaced with another violin, much like a string quartet, in later piano quintets). Perhaps, along with Schubert's Trout Quintet, the two are the most famous pieces written for such a combination. Hummel later transcribed his septet for this combination of instruments as well.

The piece is written in four movements:

1. Allegro e risoluto assai
2. Minuet e trio: Allegro con fuoco
3. Largo
4. Finale: Allegro agitato

In almost all movements, it is the piano which takes a leading role and even goes as far as displaying virtuosic passages. Despite all that, the piece exhibits the congeniality of a piece of chamber music much like that of the music composed by Hummel's contemporary, Schubert.^[1]