Christian Rummel (1787–1849) was born in Gollhofen, Bavaria. His main instrument was the piano, but he also played the violin, clarinet and basset horn and composed, conducted and taught.

His oeuvre features many fantasies on themes from operas both well-known (Rossini’s Tancredi and Weber’s Oberon) and less popular (Monsigny’s Aline and Auber’s La Muette de Portici). His 2 Nocturnes, op.85 (no.1 features on this album), take their themes from Meyerbeer’s Robert le Diable. Rummel also wrote a Trio for clarinet, cello and piano on themes from Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots, a Fantasy, op.77, for clarinet and orchestra after Beethoven’s concert aria Ah! Perfido and a Fantasy for horn and piano, op.88, after Donizetti’s Lucia di Lamermoor.

The large-scale Fantaisie brillante after Oberon for clarinet and piano (also designated by Rummel for violin, oboe or flute) has very well-conceived and developed themes highlighting sections of Weber’s opera. The Aline March, like the Tancredi Cavatina (which requires an A clarinet), begins with themes followed by technically demanding variations interspersed with slow, cantabile passages with flourishes in both the clarinet and piano. Aline, reine de Golconde is an opera (ballet-héroïque) in three acts by Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny, which premiered in Paris in 1766.

The Andante varié for basset horn and piano was written around 1817 and features a cantabile theme followed by four variations and a cheerful, final Polacca.

On the whole, the chamber music output of this composer is appealing and deserves better recognition.

Played by Luigi Magistrelli, one of the foremost clarinet players of Italy. He made many recordings for Brilliant Classics with works by C.P.E. Bach (95307), Giuliani (95541), Kummer (94472), Archduke Rudolph (94952), Rebay (94171) and Fuchs (96305).

‘Luigi Magistrelli is a skilled artist, with the fingers and the enthusiasm for Weber.’ – Gramophone