Renowned in his own time as a pianist and composer equal to Ludwig van Beethoven. Born in Pressburg (now Bratislava, Slovakia), Hummel studied primarily with his father and with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. 

He succeeded the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn as music director to the Esterházy family and held important posts in Stuttgart and Weimar.

His works include seven piano concertos and numerous works for piano solo; a variety of chamber music, notably the septet in D minor; and operas and masses. Perhaps his most significant work is the piano sonata in F-sharp minor, op. 81 (1819).