Thanks largely to CD, the reputation of Johann Nepomuk Hummel as one of the most successful of Beethoven’s contemporaries has largely been restored. Yet in his time his reputation as the outstanding piano virtuoso of the day was paramount, and these sonatas and the late Fantasia “La contemplazione” are works designed primarily for Hummel himself to play in his highly successful tours of Europe, not least in Britain.

The writing cannot compare with that of Beethoven in originality but the skill of Hummel in his exploitation of the keyboard is consistently impressive, bringing together Mozartian manners and a vein of Romanticism. The E flat Sonata, Op 13, probably written about 1805, opens with a powerful Allegro con brio based on a main theme with a military flavour, rather corny in its march rhythms but undeniably strong. The relaxed slow movement involves spread chords such as Beethoven hardly (if ever) used, and the finale is a virtuoso piece involving much scalic passagework, with a fugato in the middle.

The F minor Sonata, Op 20, written rather later, opens enigmatically with a reflective idea, gentle and romantic, leading to a strong climax and much skilful piano writing. The slow movement opens with flowing triplets leading to a contrasted chordal section, while the finale is again a display piece with showy arpeggios and triplets. The Fantasia, dating from later in Hummel’s career, is another display piece which starts with easily relaxed writing much closer to Beethoven than in the sonatas, with a powerful section in the middle.

Susan Alexander-Max, playing on a reproduction fortepiano of the period, is a most persuasive interpreter. It would be easy to make this music sound boring and conventional but she brings out the underlying liveliness, reflecting the impact that this music in the composer’s hands made on audiences. The sound is on the dry side but that is only appropriate for a recital on fortepiano.