Preface (Schott Music VAB 78)

When Bertold Hummel composed the middle movement (Elegy II) of his Concertino classico for violin and piano or string orchestra op. 103b on 11 August 1999, there was a solar eclipse over Europe, as he noted at the end of the composition. Perhaps this is why he placed the wistful Finnish folk song "Tuoll' on mun kultani" con sordino at the centre of this little elegy. He had known it since his student days and, under the German title "Über den Berg ist mein Liebster zog" (Over the mountain my beloved has moved), it had poetic significance in his correspondence with his future wife. For his viola-playing daughter-in-law Andrea, he arranged the easily realisable work - probably in 2000 - into an independent concert piece for viola and piano.

Martin Hummel, November 2011

Description (Schott Music)

Bertold Hummel's "Concertino classico", composed in 1999, enables violin students with limited technical skills to play a complete little violin concerto. The 2nd movement, the Elegy, is now also available as a single edition for viola and piano. The melody of the Finnish folk song that forms the thematic basis of the movement is wistful and gentle: a short, simple theme that is introduced and then varied. To master the piece, it is sufficient to master the first position in the viola part, and the piano part is also easy to play. A perfectly suitable piece for pupils, competitions and for playing at home.