Hindemith's Harmonie

[eoghan]

I love Hindemith. But let's not kid ourselves - his music IS dry as dust, and it is grey. But that allows the listener to concentrate on the music itself - the melodies, harmonies and orchestration. And that, cotrary to what several people have said above, is utterly distinctive - there's a very definite Hindemith sound that couldn't be anyone else.

My favourites - the Nobilissima Visione suite, the Symphony in Eb (both on the Tortelier recording with the BBCPO), the Funf Stucke for strings (an absolute love of mine since, no doubt like hundreds of other people, I played it at university...it was just written as a set of exercises after all, but that didn't stop Chopin or Rachmaninov from writing outstanding tunes and it didn't stop Hindemith either!) I have the Funf Stucke on an old LP on Supraphon I think. I also love the Kammermusick (I've got the Chailly recording).

The concertos I struggle with somewhat - I love the first movement of the cello concerto but then it fades away a bit, while the viola concerto takes a while to warm up for me (I love the last movement). I feel that the spiky Hindemith sound works best with multiple instruments and experimenting with colour, rather than a single instrument. The violin concerto is very likeable though.

I don't know the operas at all, though I've given Sancta Susanna a few listens (mainly being attracted by the subject matter, although perhaps "attracted" isn't the best choice of words).

Are there any particularly good Hindemith interpreters? My love of Hindemith probably wont extend to buying multiple recordings of any piece! Is the "Hindemith conducts Hindemith" generally seen as the last word?

[The new erato]

My kind of man. To mention a few things; Lawrence Powers viola works on Hyperion, the MDG recordings of the smaller sonatas, the Wergo operas (Harmonie der Welt being particularly brilliant); Naganos Cardiillac on DVD, the Amar quartet discs on Naxos.....

[Rons_talking]

While some of Hindemith's music can be dry as 50s Martini (see Ludas Tonalis..not a knock on it, I'm a fan) many of his works have warmth and are touching. They all have interesting harmonic turns. The complete opera Mathis Der Maler is my favorite work of his though it is only heard in Symphony form these days. If anybody knows where I can find the complete opera (CD or streaming) I'd like to know. Kubilik made a recording in the 1970s, I believe. Much of the music not included in the symphony is excellent. He scores so well for voice. I used to be able to stream the opera on RDIO but they yanked it. The E-flat Symphony is also a favorite. The Sonata for Horn in F as well...

[Daverz]

Mathis der Maler

[asin]B0040UEHW8[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

While some of Hindemith's music can be dry as 50s Martini (see Ludas Tonalis..not a knock on it, I'm a fan) many of his works have warmth and are touching. They all have interesting harmonic turns. The complete opera Mathis Der Maler is my favorite work of his though it is only heard in Symphony form these days. If anybody knows where I can find the complete opera (CD or streaming) I'd like to know. Kubilik made a recording in the 1970s, I believe. Much of the music not included in the symphony is excellent. He scores so well for voice. I used to be able to stream the opera on RDIO but they yanked it. The E-flat Symphony is also a favorite. The Sonata for Horn in F as well...

All excellent selections.

[Fagotterdämmerung]

  Hindemith is very hit-and-miss for me, but I was listening through a lot of harp music recently and found myself quite enjoying his Harp Sonata. Surprisingly "rustic" sounding for him.

[Karl Henning]

  Hindemith is very hit-and-miss for me, but I was listening through a lot of harp music recently and found myself quite enjoying his Harp Sonata. Surprisingly "rustic" sounding for him.

Do you know the Op.49 Konzertmusik for piano, brass & two harps?

[Fagotterdämmerung]

Do you know the Op.49 Konzertmusik for piano, brass & two harps?

I do now.  0:)

Thanks for the recommendation. Hindemith was so productive I'm sure I've just scraped the surface.

[Karl Henning]

Not sure just why I hadn't heard the Violin Concerto (1939) until today.  A warmly witty ending.  Some passages which felt like overlap with certain bits of Shostakovich (not a slur upon either composer).

[Dax]

Do you know the Op.49 Konzertmusik for piano, brass & two harps?

A great piece!

[Rons_talking]

Do you know the Op.49 Konzertmusik for piano, brass & two harps?

One of my favorites!

[Mirror Image]

One of my favorites!

+1

[snyprrr]

Not sure just why I hadn't heard the Violin Concerto (1939) until today.  A warmly witty ending.  Some passages which felt like overlap with certain bits of Shostakovich (not a slur upon either composer).

REALLY????Huh...

I must warn against ANY version other than the Stern,... and I think the 'Prince Charles' version even has a re-mastering that makes it sound even better (though, that could just be in my head). The other issue has the Stern Hindemith with the massive Penderecki VC,... now that's a real keeper there!!

I love the opening...

[snyprrr]

Do you know the Op.49 Konzertmusik for piano, brass & two harps?

The Philip Jones Brass Ens. recording has never been issued on CD. I have a pretty good recording on Nimbus. One must watch out for the sound quality here, as those two harps need to be somewhat up-front. There aren't too many recording of this,... hopefully the PJBE will be released one day,... if you find the Nimbus cheap, that may be the way to go (but, you know that Nimbus "sound" is always pretty big, as far as airy space is concerned,... that's why I'd like to hear the PJBE again).

But, some very moving music there...

[Rons_talking]

https://www.youtube.com/v/rMe-RGkUfb0

Glenn Gould talking Hindemith and playing the brilliant Fuga from PS3. I love that term of Gould's: "Contrapuntal Jamboree."

[snyprrr]

Concerto for Orchestra, anyone?

[Mirror Image]

Concerto for Orchestra, anyone?

Sure! A very cool work that has unfortunately been rather neglected on disc.

[snyprrr]

I think there are three works with the title 'Konzertmusik', but, I might be getting some things mixed up. The is the work with two harps mentioned above, the famous brass and strings work made for Boston(?), and a third work for brass ensemble which I have on an old Donald Hunsberger CBS CD.

That third work sounds great on that particular issue, and is quite reflective of the boisterous Hindemith, along with the plaintive harmonies of the slower sections. I can't imagine a better recording, which also includes Vaughn Williams and Copland's 'Quiet City',... oh, and the Husa piece, so, yes, this is also a plug for the disc!

What's the standard for the big orchestral one, Lenny?

Sure! A very cool work that has unfortunately been rather neglected on disc.

Have you heard the "big" Cello Sonata? No, I get these confused. I have one from 1949, but there's another...


Otherwise,... Hindemith,... what comes to mind?

Nobliesse Visione & The Four Temperaments

Which I also have to plug the DePriest Delos disc, sumptuous!

That wonderful opening to the Mathis der Maler Symphony

That funeral piece for viola and strings???

One of my favourites,... the E Major Violin Sonata,... oh, and the Violin Concerto (Stern only, please),...

Gould in the piano works...

The surprising late Pittsburgh Symphony and Organ Concerto...

The last two SQs, both in Eb...


Oh, and the Octet (Berliner Solisten/Teldec, ONLY, please)

It's such an acerbic work, you really need the refined playing and the refined recording to absorb the work's ugliness and reveal its inner beauty, I love this work muy mucho. Like Schoenberg's Piano Concerto...

[Mirror Image]

Otherwise,... Hindemith,... what comes to mind?

A few works pop into my mind almost immediately: Der Schwanendreher (possibly my favorite Hindemith work), Konzertmusik for Brass and String Orchestra (Op. 50), Nobilissima Visione, Mathis der Maler Symphony, Trauermusik, and the Kammermusik series.

[snyprrr]

I'll be setting up shop here for a while.

Where to start?...

I love the tiny E Major Violin Sonata, so melodic.

Smooth Hindemith, or raucous Hindemith, hmm, which will it be?