Hindemith's Marienleben and anything else you like by Hindemith

[Mandryka]

Can someone help me out?  I'm trying to find a translation of the poems in English or French on line, with no luck at all -- there are a handful of poems in Englsih on this site, but not many:

www.recmusic.org/

I'd really be happy of someone could show me a site with them all!

By the way I'm enjoying Gundola Janowitz's record a lot:

[PaulSC]

 if you have access to Naxos Music Library, there is a complete English translation included with the booklet for this recording:

http://ucsc.naxosmusiclibrary.com.oca.ucsc.edu/streamw.asp?ver=2.0&s=27569%2Fucscnml06%2F266560

HINDEMITH, P.: Marienleben (Das) (revised version, 1948) (Meyer-Topsoe, Salo)


If you can't access this, PM me...

[PaulSC]

As for what I like by Hindemith, my interest in him waxes and wanes. At the moment I'm fairly keen on him. I favor his later works, in a less eclectic, more "pure" style. I haven't heard the Marienleben in a long time, but I remember preferring the revision to the original version — even though some commentators feel he spoiled the work by bringing it more into line with his theories of chromatic tonality...

[Brian]

I'm enjoying the new Naxos albums of string quartets, but do not have much interest with Hindemith.

[San Antone]

Hindemith is one of my favorite composers. 

I enjoy all of his chamber music and am fascinated by the fact that he wrote instrumental sonatas and concertos for most of the instruments.   His string quartets I think are woefully under programmed and recorded and I consider them, while not as important as the Bartok and Shostakovich, well worth hearing.

As is usual for my taste I prefer chamber works to orchestral pieces, but his symphonic works are masterful, especially the Mathis der Maler Symphony.

[Karl Henning]

I'm enjoying the new Naxos albums of string quartets, but do not have much interest with Hindemith.

Konzertmusik Op.49 for piano, brass and two harps

[Karl Henning]

Another piece I strongly commend to you, Brian, when you're in the frame of mind: Ludus tonalis. A piece which I was slow to approach, myself.

[Mandryka]

Another piece I strongly commend to you, Brian, when you're in the frame of mind: Ludus tonalis. A piece which I was slow to approach, myself.

There's a nice recording by Berzowsky of that. Some other very fine piano music is the 1922 suite (try Richter even though the sound is not so good), the sonata for two pianos (try Yudina) and sonata 3 (try Gould)

[Brian]

Oops! Thanks for the recommendations, especially because where I said "I do not have much interest," the word I MEANT was "I do not have much experience." Hate mistyping whole words. Happens when my brain's in too many places.

[Mandryka]

As for what I like by Hindemith, my interest in him waxes and wanes. At the moment I'm fairly keen on him. I favor his later works, in a less eclectic, more "pure" style. I haven't heard the Marienleben in a long time, but I remember preferring the revision to the original version — even though some commentators feel he spoiled the work by bringing it more into line with his theories of chromatic tonality...

I too have started to prefer the revised version, really since discovering the Janowitz recording. There's an essay by Gould about Marienleben where he is strongly for the first version.

It's wonderful music, I just which I could understand the poems!

[Mandryka]

One very annoying thing about Hindemith is the impossibility of finding a recording of Balanchine's  The Four Temperaments. There are tantalising snippets on youtube but it's very unsatisfactory.

[San Antone]

One very annoying thing about Hindemith is the impossibility of finding a recording of Balanchine's  The Four Temperaments. There are tantalising snippets on youtube but it's very unsatisfactory.

There's this one

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I'd suggest going for the used copy or Spotify - where I'm listening to it right now.

[Mandryka]

There's this one

[asin]B000009HYS[/asin]

I'd suggest going for the used copy or Spotify - where I'm listening to it right now.

Oh, sorry. I meant a video record of people dancing Balanchine's ballet.

[kishnevi]

There's a nice recording by Berzowsky of that. Some other very fine piano music is the 1922 suite (try Richter even though the sound is not so good), the sonata for two pianos (try Yudina) and sonata 3 (try Gould)

Are there any alternative performances you might suggest?
I ask because Gould's recording of the piano sonatas is the one GG recording I've come across which I actually don't like--musical triteness is the best way I can describe the impression it left me with.

[snyprrr]

Konzertmusik Op.49 for piano, brass and two harps

That is a minor masterpiece. Or do you say, Masterpiece!?! Hindemith had the 'nobility' thing DOWN! The Philip Jones BE hasn't been transferred yet, but Wallace on Nimbus is ok (Nimbus always a bit recessed).


I also love the Trauermusik. No explanation there.

And the little two-movement Violin Sonata in E is maybe my single favorite violin melody,... well,... you know. The Violin Concerto. I really love the 2 Solo Violin Sonatas too.

Harp Sonata

String Quartets 5-6 (both in Eb)

[val]

Das Marienleben, based on poems of Rilke is one of the best cycles of Lieder of the 20th century.

I love the version of Annelies Kupper with Carl Seemann, recorded in 1949. It is the second version of the work, from 1948.

[mjwal]

I too have started to prefer the revised version, really since discovering the Janowitz recording. There's an essay by Gould about Marienleben where he is strongly for the first version.

It's wonderful music, I just which I could understand the poems!

http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/h/hindemith.html
Not a great translation, but as a crib OK.

[listener]

A seasonal recommendation is Hindemith's The Long Christmas Dinner, a setting of a play by Thornton Wilder.  I can assur you it is not like Sancta Susanna

[Karl Henning]

I seem to remember that being one of his final compositions?

[listener]

I seem to remember that being one of his final compositions?

Premiered in  Dec.1961, he died in 1963 so I think there be much following.