Bertold Hummel as a performer
Bertold Hummel studied cello at the Freiburg University of Music from 1947 to 1954 under the Latvian cellist Atis Teichmanis. His chamber music lessons with Emil Seiler also had a formative influence on him as a cellist; Seiler encouraged him to seek his true talent as a cellist in chamber music rather than in virtuosity.
Thus, Bertold Hummel founded the Maas Trio with Emil Maas (violin) and the composer Friedrich Zehm (piano), and the Hummel Quartet with Peter Liehr, Inken Steffen and Edith Klein. In these ensembles, as well as in a duo with the pianist Helmuth Barth, he performed a wide repertoire spanning all musical styles, primarily in the Baden-Württemberg region.
He performed with the pioneers of historical performance practice Fritz Neumeyer, August Wenzinger, Gustav Scheck and Josef Ulsamer, and performed many works of Baroque music or documented them in radio and record recordings.
Concert tours took him to Italy (1952–54) and the Union of South Africa (1954–55) at an early stage. He played as a temporary member in the orchestras of the Städtische Bühnen in Freiburg and Würzburg, as well as in the SWF’s Small Entertainment Orchestra under Willi Stech. He took part as a cellist in countless regionally significant oratorio performances under conductors such as Thomas Egel, Günther Jena, Heribert Breuer and Siegfried Koesler, with his basso continuo accompaniment of the evangelist parts in Bach’s great oratorios being particularly noteworthy.
Recordings
Georg Friedrich Handel: Sonata in C minor for oboe and basso continuo – Horst Schneider, oboe / Bertold Hummel, cello / Hugo Ruf, harpsichord – Christophorus C 72118
Georg Philipp Telemann: Sonata in B flat major for alto recorder, concertante harpsichord and basso continuo – Valerie Noack, alto recorder / Anneliese Ehret, harpsichord / Bertold Hummel, cello / Hubert Ehret, spinet – Christophorus CV 72120
Jean-Baptiste Loeillet: Sonata in G major for flute and basso continuo – Valerie Noack, flute / Bertold Hummel, cello / Anneliese Ehret, harpsichord – Christophorus CV 72123
Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach: Sonata in D major for concertante harpsichord, flute and cello – Anneliese Ehret, harpsichord / Valerie Noack, flute / Bertold Hummel, cello – Christophorus CV 72124
Antonio Lotti: Trio in A major for flute, oboe and basso continuo – Beatrice Ruf, flute / Lothar Koch, oboe / Bertold Hummel, cello / Hugo Ruf, harpsichord
High Baroque dance music with the Ulsamer-Collegium (Elza van der Ven, Konrad Ragossnig, Eduard Melkus, Bertold Hummel, Sebastian Keller, Dieter Kirsch, Laurenzius Strehl, Josef Ulsamer) Archiv Produktion 2533 172 [LP] 1974
Musical Table Delights I with the Ulsamer-Collegium (Elza van der Ven, Vimala Fries, Irmgard Otto, Bertold Hummel, Sebastian Keller, Dieter Kirsch, Laurenzius Strehl, Josef Ulsamer) Calig 30 407 / 409 [LP]
's Schpiel vum Hailige Chind – An Alemannic Nativity Play with music by Bertold Hummel – Edith Klein, Bertold Hummel, Matthias Scholz, Anton Stingl, Günther Theis, Willi Willmann – Calig CAL 30502
Baroque Christmas Music I with Erika Rüggeberg, soprano / Johannes Hoefflin, tenor / Conrad von der Goltz and Gert Hoelscher, violin / Karl Bender, viola / Franz Faßbender, cello / Bertold Hummel, cello / Kurt Hausmann, oboe / Günter Jena, harpsichord - Calig CAL 30503
Baroque Christmas Music II with Erika Rüggeberg, soprano / Johannes Hoefflin, tenor / Bertold Hummel, cello / Kurt Hausmann, oboe / Günter Jena, harpsichord - Calig CAL 30504
Palestrina Circle – Advent and Christmas Music, Vol. 1 with St. Gregor Choir, Düsseldorf, Viersen Children’s Choir / Georg Mayer, double bass / Beate Ruf-Waibel, flute / Instrumental Ensemble of the Cologne University of Music, conducted by Franz Clausing, Karl Kox, Karlheinrich Hodes / Paul Kurth, oboe, English horn / Max Kempf, organ / Hans Tschumme, Inken Hummel, violin / Walter Heck, viola / Hugo Ruf, harpsichord Christophorus – CLP 71575
Heribert Breuer: Hymns to the Night for 9 instrumentalists, tape and choir, featuring, among others, Siegfried Fink / Günther Kaunzinger / Gudrun Haag / Heribert Breuer / St. Johannis Bach Choir – Live recording 1 December 1974 – Label: Deutsche Akademie Villa Massimo Rome – 30-452
Radio recordings
Music recording for the programme: "The Young Mozart on Tour" – Südwestfunk 6 March 1953 / Broadcast on FM 20 March 1953, MW 27 and 28 March 1953
Julius Klaas: Romantic Songs – Südwestfunk 2 April 1953 / broadcast on medium wave 8 April 1953, 11.30 am
Music recording for the programme “The Mill at the Bottom of the Sea” – Südwestfunk 8 May 1953 / broadcast 11 and 12 August 1953
Dietrich von Bausznern: Sonata for Cello and Piano – Südwestfunk 19 May 1953 / Broadcast “Young Talent Introduces Itself” 28 May 1953, 3.15 pm
Paul Hindemith and Johannes Driessler: Cello Sonatas – Südwestfunk 28 July 1953 / Broadcast “Young Talent Introduces Itself” 30 July 1953, Channel 1, 3.15 pm
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber: Partita for 2 violas d’amore and continuo – Emil Seiler, Edith Klein, viola d’amore / Bertold Hummel, cello – Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, Studio Basel 28 May 1954
Josef Haydn: Divertimento in B flat major – Hans-Georg Renner, oboe / Wolfgang Hock, violin / Emil Seiler, viola / Bertold Hummel, cello – SWF Freiburg
Attilio Ariosti: Sonata in F sharp minor for viola d’amore and continuo – Emil Seiler, viola d’amore / Bertold Hummel, cello – Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, Basel Studio, 28 May 1954
- Südwestfunk 30 September 1955 Recording of an orchestral piece for two cellos with the Small Entertainment Orchestra
- Südwestfunk 1, 3–4, 6–8, 10–13, 18–22, 26–29 October 1955 and 2–5 November 1955 Rehearsals and recordings with the Small Entertainment Orchestra
Bernhard Köhler: Compositions - Südwestfunk 24 October 1955 Recordings with the Small Entertainment Orchestra
Armin Knab: Das Lebenslicht (fairy-tale opera) – Südwestfunk 10–14 December 1955
Etienne-Nicolas Mehul: Joseph in Egypt (opera) – Südwestfunk 3–8 February 1956
Bertold Hummel: Sonata for Cello and Piano – Südwestfunk 27 March 1956 / Broadcast 4 April 1956
- Südwestfunk 19–21 July 1956 Rehearsals and recordings with the Small Light Music Orchestra
- Südwestfunk 24–29 September 1956 Rehearsals and recordings with the Small Light Music Orchestra
- Südwestfunk 1–5, 9–11 October 1956 Rehearsals and recordings with the Small Light Music Orchestra
Johann Christian Fischer: Sonata in D minor – Südwestfunk 17 December 1956 / Broadcast 2 January 1957
Johann Ernst Galliard: Sonata in C major – Südwestfunk 17 December 1956 / Broadcast 2 January 1957
Johann Christian Fischer: Sonata for Oboe, Harpsichord and Cello – Südwestfunk 18 June 1957 / Broadcast 6 August 1957
Paul Adam: Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Cello – ? / Emil Seiler, viola / Bertold Hummel, cello – Südwestfunk 19 September 1957 / Broadcast 21 November 1957
Friedrich Zehm: Trio for Violin, Cello and Harpsichord – ? / Bertold Hummel, Cello / Jürgen Klodt, Harpsichord – Südwestfunk 10 October 1957 / Broadcast 17 October 1957
- Südwestfunk 20–25 January 1958 Rehearsals and recordings with the Small Light Music Orchestra
Georgi Konstantinoff: From My Homeland – Südwestfunk 30 January 1958 Rehearsals and recordings with the Small Light Music Orchestra
Friedrich Zehm: Trio for violin, cello and piano – Südwestfunk 30 May 1958 / Broadcast 19 June 1958
Johann Baptist Schenk: The Village Barber (opera) – Südwestfunk 11–14 June 1958
Music recording for the programme “Von der Heiligen Elisabeth” – Südwestfunk 4 June 1958 / Broadcast 18 June 1958
Music recording for the programme “Vom Berggeist Rübezahl” – Südwestfunk 11 June 1958 / Broadcast 1 and 2 July 1958
Bertold Hummel: Little Suite for Cello – Bertold Hummel, cello / Jürgen Klodt, piano – Südwestfunk 16 October 1958 / Broadcast 23 October 1958 FM II, 7.00 pm
Bertold Hummel: String Trio in E for violin, viola and cello – Inken Hummel, violin / Edith Klein, viola / Bertold Hummel, cello – Südwestfunk 16 October 1958 / Broadcast 23 October 1958 FM II, 7.00 pm
Music recording for the programme “Die Geschichte ohne gleichen” – Südwestfunk 12 December 1958 / Broadcast 3 and 4 March 1959
Music recording for the programme “Geistliche Musik am Ostersonntag” – Südwestfunk 19 March 1959 / Broadcast 29 March 1959, 9.00 am
Marin Marais: Suite for two violas and basso continuo – Südwestfunk 18 September 1950 / Broadcast 19 November 1959, 7.00 pm
François Couperin: “Lecons de Tenèbres”, Parts 3 and 4 – Johannes Hoefflin, tenor / Bertold Hummel, cello / ? – Südwestfunk 27 October 1959 / Broadcast during Holy Week 1960
- Südwestfunk 29–20 October 1959 Rehearsals and recordings with the Small Light Music Orchestra
Georg Philipp Telemann: “Ihr Völker hört” (Cantata) – Südwestfunk 4 January 1960 / Broadcast 6 January 1960
Music recording for the programme “Sorge und Leid” – Südwestfunk 13 July 1960 / Broadcast 6 and 7 September 1960
- Südwestfunk 18–20 August 1960 Rehearsals and recordings with the Small Light Music Orchestra for the programme “Im heiteren Trab” on 3 September 1960, 8.30 pm
Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Fantasy for Orchestra – Südwestfunk 8 October 1960 with the Small Light Music Orchestra
Music recording for the programme “Die Argonauten I–III” – Südwestfunk 31 October 1960
Friedrich Zehm: La Belle Cordière – Six Sonnets (1555) by Louise Labé for soprano, clarinet, guitar, string trio and double bass – Ursula Buckel, soprano / Anton Stingl, guitar / Philipp Rauck, clarinet / Peter Dohms, violin / Edith Klein, viola / Bertold Hummel, cello – Südwestfunk 13 April 1961 / Broadcast 13 July 1961, 7.00 pm
Bertold Hummel: Improvisation and Toccata for Piano Trio – Südwestfunk 7 June 1961 / Broadcast 13 June 1961, 7.15 pm
Kurt Bossler: Trio for 2 Violins and Cello – Dohms, ?, Violins / / Bertold Hummel, Cello – Südwestfunk 4 July 1961 / Broadcast to mark Kurt Bossler’s 50th birthday 11 July 1961
- Südwestfunk 7, 30 and 31 October 1961 Rehearsals and recordings with the Small Light Music Orchestra
Music recording for the programme “Bänkelsängers Bildzeitung” – Bertold Hummel, Electronium-Cembalet – Südwestfunk 16 January 1962 / Broadcast 23 and 24 January 1962
Music recording for the programme “Schattenspiele und Kasperlkomödien” – Bertold Hummel, Electronium-Cembalet – Südwestfunk 27 February 1962 / broadcast 6 and 7 March 1962
Music recording for the programme “Die Provence” – Bertold Hummel, Electronium-Cembalet – Südwestfunk 27 February 1962 / Broadcast 21 and 22 March 1962
Music recording for the programme “Names of Streets and Squares” – Bertold Hummel, Electronium-Cembalet – Südwestfunk 4 October 1962 / Broadcast 18 and 19 October 1962
Friedrich Zehm: Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano – Peter Dohms, violin / Bertold Hummel, cello / Friedrich Zehm, piano – Südwestfunk Freiburg 1962
Bertold Hummel: Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano – Bayerischer Rundfunk, Nuremberg Studio, 4 December 1964
G.B. Riccio: Jubilent Omnes, Philipp Friedrich Böddecker: Natus est Jesus, G.F. Handel: Trio Sonata – Südwestfunk 14 December / Broadcast “Laudate Dominum” 25 and 27 December 1964
G. Ph. Telemann, J.G. Jannitsch, J.Chr. Bach – Bavarian Broadcasting, Nuremberg Studio, 21 December 1964
- Bavarian Broadcasting, Nuremberg Studio – 29 May 1965 Production recording and concert recording: Bavarian Heritage Day, Aschaffenburg, Part 1: Chamber music
Bertold Hummel: Divertimento for cello and bassoon – Bertold Hummel, cello / Eberhard Buschmann, bassoon – Bavarian Broadcasting, 2 June 1979
Bertold Hummel studied composition and violoncello at the University of Music in Freiburg from 1947 to 1954. He learnt the basics of conducting from Konrad Lechner, which he was able to develop further during his time as cantor (1956-1963) at St. Konrad Church in Freiburg. Here he conducted baroque music as well as classical orchestral masses, in which his student friend Fritz Wunderlich also took part. J. Haydn's Stabat mater was performed in an oratorio concert in 1962. He also occasionally premièred his own orchestral works: his 1st Symphony op. 20 in Wuppertal in 1959, the Fantasia gregoriana op. 65 in Giessen in 1978 and the Musica urbana op. 81c in his native town of Hüfingen in 1984. Every summer between 1961 and 1983 (except 1968) he conducted an orchestra week with amateur musicians and music students at the Landvolkshochschule Wies/Steingaden. In June 1981, he took over a symphony concert at the Würzburg Mozart Festival in the Kaisersaal of the Residenz for Hanns Reinartz, who was ill, and performed the Brandenburg Concertos No. 2 and No. 5 with the chamber orchestra of the Musikhochschule at the Würzburg Bach Festival in the same year. During this time, he founded the Würzburg Soloists' Ensemble with students of the Hochschule, with which he undertook various concerts and - on behalf of the Greek-German Initiative e.V. - concert tours to Greece in 1980 and 1981. In 1982, Bertold Hummel concluded his conducting career with the recording of Haydn's work The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross, which he arranged for string orchestra.
Radio and record recordings
Wilhelm Weiß: Freiburg-Lied - Kirchenchor St. Konrad Freiburg - Südwestfunk 8/11/1957 / Broadcast 10/12/1957
Joseph Haydn: Die sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuz (with meditations by Luise Rinser) - Luise Rinser / Solistenensemble Würzburg / Bertold Hummel - Calig 30 210/11 [LP] 1982
