A pupil of Mozart in childhood, Hummel later established himself as a pianist and composer of contemporary importance. Thanks to Haydn, he was employed first by the Esterházy family, before settling in Weimar, where he added to the cultural attractions offered by the city of Goethe. His piano sonatas reflect a transitional style from the idiom of Haydn to more technically demanding writing for the instrument, approaching the age of Chopin and his contemporaries.