Symphony No. 3 "Jeremiah" op. 100 (1996)

1st Moderato (Anathoth)
2nd Presto (Babylon)
3rd Adagio (Lamentationes Jeremiae)
4th Moderato (Hymnus-Lakén)

Würzburg Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Jonathan Seers

Live recording from 5 December 1997
in the large hall of the University of Music Würzburg
in co-operation with the Bayerischer Rundfunk
Sound engineer: Jürgen Rummel

FAZ, 23 JULY 1999

His third symphony "Jeremiah", premiered two years ago, has been recorded astonishingly brilliantly by the well-attuned Würzburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the energetic direction of Jonathan Seers. The protracted calling of the young priest's son Jeremiah to be a prophet is interpreted in musical circles ranging from simple rhythmic models to multi-layered superimpositions. With a varied and colourful percussion apparatus, Hummel found a gesturally expansive, but not bold tonal language for the famous lamentations about the impending fate of the city of Babylon. With Hummel, tonal movement is directly physical expression, so that dark moods promise disaster and bright tone colours promise good. Jeremiah's self-doubt is portrayed with a pastel mixture of extremes. Above all, Hummel's virtuosic, concertante handling of the instruments makes the work worth hearing.