In his time, Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778–1837) was widely regarded as one of the most important living composers and perhaps the most brilliant piano virtuoso, ranking with the greatest masters. This trumpet concerto is one of his juvenile works that was premiered on New Years Day in 1804 at the banquet of the imperial court in Vienna. The soloist was the court trumpet player Anton Weidinger for whose curious instrument, the so-called keyed trumpet, Haydn had composed his own trumpet concerto seven years earlier.

            Hummel often quoted other composers in his works; indeed, the first movement of this concerto is reminiscent of Mozart’s Haffner Symphony, the Andante middle movement of the Andante of the K. 467 C-major Piano Concerto. The recapitulation of the rondo theme of the extremely effective, virtuoso rondo-finale features a march from Cherubini’s The Water Carrier, which rounds off the concerto.