Hindemith's Harmonie

[snyprrr]

Kammermusik No.1
Kleine Kammermusik

I started off Hindemith Month with these two, from the Chailly set. Already, Hindemith's humorous take, and deft craftsmanship made me like it better than, say, Ibert's 'Divertissement'. As far as I know, this has to be counted as one of the great "flapper" works of the post-WWI era, and I mean all that jazzy crap everyone was doing at the time- at least the Composers with a bone of humor in their body/. Schoenberg? Humor? Eh.

It really doesn't matter the melodic material, the music is oom-pah grotesquerie that sounds like a large marching band with piano and accordion in tow. Hindemith keeps the musical games churning quickly, and I don't find a dull moment. Music for Stalag 69?

The quintet is just as fun, as it should be. The rest of the Kammermusik Cycle is a little heavier- unless someone knows which is the most exuberant ??!!! I needed some light Hindemith, and his more brass oriented works seem to deliver (though, there are exceptions).

I'm not overwhelmed by earlier Hindemith, as much of it is wild and wooly of the sort I usually stay away from- his first two String Quartets are great, and substantial, but not my favorites. I don't know what else of his 20's music I would enjoy. I tend to start liking him more when the fourths arrive en masse.


But, these two pieces breathe fun air!

[Jo498]

The Kammermusiken are amongst his best pieces, I guess, but the first one is the wildest by some margin. There is a jazz-inspired short Piano suite (sometimes called "1922" or so) as well.

[The new erato]

The Kammermusiken are amongst his best pieces, I guess, but the first one is the wildest by some margin. There is a jazz-inspired short Piano suite (sometimes called "1922" or so) as well.

They are very good, but some of the operas are even better. The Chamber Music and some of the concerted pieces contains multiple gems as well.

[Karl Henning]

I've given up trying to figure out what our snypppss is lookin' for 

[snyprrr]

I've given up trying to figure out what our snypppss is lookin' for 

Oh come now!

Music that pays for its own drinks AND is good in bed!!

[Karl Henning]

http://www.youtube.com/v/gX91pvaO0vY

[Scion7]

snyprrr will find catharsis in the organ sonata.   

[snyprrr]

snyprrr will find catharsis in the organ sonata.   

I have them with the Concerto, Teldec. yes, I've always liked'em,... obviously the 3rd the most. I'm not ready for them yet in this audition...

[snyprrr]

Alto Horn Sonata
Horn Sonata
Morgenmusik for Brass Quintet
Konzertstuck for 2 Saxophones


I continued my Hindemith Month with the above, and was pleasantly surprised by the Alto Horn Sonata this time, by its more introspective nature than the rest of the Brass Sonatas. Even with Gould's recitation, or just with it, this piece has just a little extra something special in the mood category.

The proper Horn Sonata, the longest of the bunch, seems almost of the verge of being the poster child for the criticism that Hindemith could be too academic and dull. I rather like the anonymity here, for the technique is flawless and smooth as a Benz. I'd call it "classy". I want to hear it again...

I didn't want the bluff humour of the Tuba Sonata, and wasn't ready for a lot of trumpet, so, the Trombone Sonata will probably be up next.


The 6min. Morgenmusik is just plain old delicious Hindemith fourths and fifths... Christmassy


And the two sax pieces totally come from the other end, all 20s jazzy Germanic rollin'... I had this on a random BIS Modernistic disc, but there it was. Wish it were rather with other discmates...



Probably the Octet coming up next (I ONLY RECOMMEND THE TELDEC!!!)

[snyprrr]

Neues von Tage Overture

7mins. of Hindemithian boisterousness (Virgin/Rickenbacker)

[Karl Henning]

(I ONLY RECOMMEND THE [N.]!!!)

Oh, if you knew how you make me smile every time you post like this.

[snyprrr]

Symphonia Serena
Symphonic Dances

These two works have some gloriousness about them. Today the weather produced clouds and wind and sun in glorious concert with Hindemith: he is one of few Composers who could still make a "musical smile" before the "destruction of the language" of the 50s and 60s. Here, Hindemith is in the middle of his greatest period of masterpieces.

The Symphonia Serena, as played on the Blomstedt disc, (well, ok, the disc is a classic)- here it reminds me of a trip to the Smithsonian. The first movement has a theme that disconcertingly reminds me of 'In A Gadda Da Vida', do you know what I'm talking about? But, this "riff" is pretty cool in Hindemith's hands; he wields it well without making it sound clunky. There is a certain sense of understatement that permeates all movements, and the following "Beethoven" march has the delicacy of Reger.

The slow movement features... is it four violins, two of which are "in the wings"? There is an antiphonal effect here that is most ingratiating. This whole Symphony seems like it is woven on cloth, so "homey" is the feel here. With the finale we close a most satisfying conclusion.

(oy, my writing is in the shitter lately...)

[Karl Henning]

That's one of the calmest posts I've ever seen from you.

Thank you, Paul Hindemith. Behold, the power of Art.

[snyprrr]

Symphony 'Die Harmonie Der Welt'

The flip-side of 'Symphonia Serena'. Here, the melodic contours aren't as bold and fresh, more in Hindemith's "anonymity" style, but the grandeur and splendor are inherent from the outset, a burst/splash of fizzing cymbals and rolling drums followed by the brass fanfares. Over the course of three large movements, Hindemith again gives the feeling of a large woven cloth coloured in the "olden style", but with the newer harmonies of the 20th century.

What can one say about the two works together other than they form quite a peak for Hindemith's symphonic writing, and sound just like great music? I mean, that's all I hear, instantly- music I want to hear through, in a recording (Blomstedt) that captures a world-class orchestra is sumptuous sound.

This has TO BE THE #1 Hindemith disc- how can there be argument? Sure, what?, the Steinberg? DePriest (well.....)? There are a few contenders out there, but, for the epicness of it all, you just can't beat the full orchestra.




Am I right that the 'Musica Mundana' is "earth" music, so that is why it starts off in the lower regions and builds to an "earth shattering" climax like none other?




Anyhow... I would argue against the Chandos. Anyone?

[snyprrr]

Cortese (ASV)
Dean (CPO)
Schmidt (Koch)
Power (Hyperion)

I ASSUME that the Power is the way to go?





AND- what of the Idil Biret 'Complete Piano Concertos' on Naxos? Looks great!

[Karl Henning]

Gramophone has a thoroughly positive review of the Wergo issue of The Long Christmas Dinner (about which I have been curious for a long time), so I've gone ahead and pulled the trigger.

Oh, and for Das Nusch-Nuschi, too . . . another opera for which I have let my curiosity languish, unappeased, for too, too terribly long.

[Karl Henning]

I've spent some time listening to The Long Christmas Dinner for each of the last three or four days, and I spent more time with the libretto last night, and I find it tremendously impressive.  Touching, at times unalloyedly enchanting, it is an opera which I feel ought to be standard repertory.  If, ten years ago (and this is probably the fault of the reader, not of the author), I had read the Wilder story, I might have had no patience with it;  here, the music flows so naturally, has such engaging profiles, carries on so confidently, that the setting obliterated any prejudice I might have entertained against the text.  This sounds like an odd thing to say about a piece which remains next door to unknown, but I think it one of the best operas of the 20^th century.  And I am not done;  I expect to spend another week in the piece's sonic company.

[Karl Henning]

As recently as 1977, a production in Rome [of Sancta Susanna, Op.21] caused the director of the opera house to be fined.

Hindemith's Opera Trilogy

[North Star]

I've spent some time listening to The Long Christmas Dinner for each of the last three or four days, and I spent more time with the libretto last night, and I find it tremendously impressive.  Touching, at times unalloyedly enchanting, it is an opera which I feel ought to be standard repertory.  If, ten years ago (and this is probably the fault of the reader, not of the author), I had read the Wilder story, I might have had no patience with it;  here, the music flows so naturally, has such engaging profiles, carries on so confidently, that the setting obliterated any prejudice I might have entertained against the text.  This sounds like an odd thing to say about a piece which remains next door to unknown, but I think it one of the best operas of the 20^th century.  And I am not done;  I expect to spend another week in the piece's sonic company.

This recording of the original English text does look intriguing, indeed...
[asin]B00ZUNDKC2[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Cross-posted from the 'Purchases' thread -

Expanding my Hindemith collection a bit (I blame Karl ) -

I'm quite interested in a lot of those Wergo recordings. The two above seemed rather interesting to me, especially since When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd: A Requiem for those we love (gee, that's a mouthful ) will be completely new to me. I've heard great things about the work. There are several other performances like the Robert Shaw/ASO on Telarc and Sawallisch's on Orfeo, but I figured I'd stick to the Wergo since I've always been most impressed with their label.