As part of his work as cantor at St. Konrad Church in Freiburg im Breisgau, Bertold Hummel also took over the musical training at the kindergarten teacher training seminar there in 1957. He composed Pastorella for his students and it was premièred by them at an Advent celebration in 1960. When the Schott publishing house wanted to expand its series of editions of original music for recorder, he took an interest in this piece and printed it in 2000 - an easily playable work in the tradition of baroque pastoral music with melodic thirds and a siciliano rhythm.