Topic: Hindemith's Harmonie

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And I strongly recommend the Nagano DVD of Cardillac if ÿou can find it and are unfamiliar with the opera.

I’d buy it if was an audio recording. I’m not much of a fan of watching opera.

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Hi John - the Hecklephone Trio is also on the Centaur CD shown previously (and below), played by Arthur Grossman who also recorded a 'Hecklephone album' - second poor image below - the Amazon link gives the composers quoted as being on that CD; a used copy from the MP is going for $43 - cannot find the recording on Spotify?  Dave

ADDENDUM: checked PrestoClassical, showing a bassoon recording w/ Grossman, pic inserted below; along w/ the Centaur disc.

   

Very cool, Dave. Thanks for the info.

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Those MDG sonata recordings look extremily attractive.

Oddly I love Hindemith's solo works best. The two sonatas for violin solo and the viola solo works.

As DaveF pointed, the MDG recordings are difficult to find. I was incredibly lucky in that I stumbled upon an eBay seller who had the Complete Sonatas Nos. 1-7 (many of them in either mint condition or still sealed in shrinkwrap) as a wholesale lot, so I pounced on it. The Harmonia Mundi recording DaveF also mentioned (Sonatas For...) is an outstanding recording and definitely worth your time.

Here was the photo I initially saw on eBay:

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Well, I got around to ripping the three CPO sets, but I mostly ripped these for the works that are difficult to find outside of these sets like Philharmonic Concerto, Symphonic Dances, etc.

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Reminds me that it is high time for me to revisit Der Dämon

What a fantastic ballet this is, too. I listened to it last night and it had been years since I have heard it. I listened to the older Gerd Albrecht recording (on Wergo), but now that I have the CPO recording (w/ Werner Andreas Albert) ripped to my computer, I should compare this recording with Albrecht.

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I have to say that Der Dämon is a magical work. Full of rhythmic twists and turns. This is an early Hindemith work and I recall that our Rafael (ritter) doesn’t like early Hindemith due to its Expressionistic sound-world, but I personally LOVE Expressionistic music, especially mid-period Schoenberg, K. A. Hartmann, Berg, etc. Dark, turbulent sound-worlds are quite ‘my thing’ when it comes to German/Austrian composers.

[SonicMan46]

Reposted from the 'Listening Thread' - just received Vol. 2 of the Viola Sonatas which are well done (reviews attached); Zimmermann as stated also recorded a Vol. 1 (single disc) of the Viola Orchestral Works, which I already own on other recordings.  Again note that there is duplication w/ the 'Ensemble Villa Musica' in the sonatas.  Dave

Hindemith, Paul - Viola Sonatas w/ Tabea Zimmermann - new purchase of the 2-disc Vol. 2 set below left; she has also recorded the 'viola orchestral works' (below, right) - reviews of both attached, for those interested; note that for the sonatas, there is some duplication with the 'Ensemble Villa Musica' - Dave

 

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Reposted from the 'Listening Thread' - just received Vol. 2 of the Viola Sonatas which are well done (reviews attached); Zimmermann as stated also recorded a Vol. 1 (single disc) of the Viola Orchestral Works, which I already own on other recordings.  Again note that there is duplication w/ the 'Ensemble Villa Musica' in the sonatas.  Dave

Very nice, Dave. Zimmermann is excellent in Hindemith.

[Roasted Swan]

The quality of Capriccio's "Modern Times" series of discs has been mentioned on the forum before.  The other day I listened to the volume dedicated to Hindemith;



This encapsulates just what is so good about these discs.  Very well programmed and varied repertoire in vibrant performances well recorded.  The big revelation here for me were the Op.3 Three Songs (which I have on the Chandos/Tortelier disc too but have no memory of!).  Eary works (obviously) but so unlike other Hindemith with a near-Straussian opulence and expressionism.  Fascinating to hear placed in the centre of later/more typical Hindemith.  But then that is levened by the wittier Hindemith of Das Nusch-Nuschi Dance Suite too. 

[The new erato]

Upcoming release:

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The quality of Capriccio's "Modern Times" series of discs has been mentioned on the forum before.  The other day I listened to the volume dedicated to Hindemith;



This encapsulates just what is so good about these discs.  Very well programmed and varied repertoire in vibrant performances well recorded.  The big revelation here for me were the Op.3 Three Songs (which I have on the Chandos/Tortelier disc too but have no memory of!).  Eary works (obviously) but so unlike other Hindemith with a near-Straussian opulence and expressionism.  Fascinating to hear placed in the centre of later/more typical Hindemith.  But then that is levened by the wittier Hindemith of Das Nusch-Nuschi Dance Suite too.

The Drei Gesänge is a little gem of a work. I think early Hindemith would take many by surprise, especially if they were only familiar with his later output. The only recording I have of this work is on an older Wergo release (which is excellent):



I’m not too familiar with a lot of the more recent Hindemith releases as so many of them couple the same orchestral works or have the same chamber works that I already have in more than satisfying performances. I do think it’s a great thing that Hindemith continues to get recorded, though as I believe him to be one of the oft-misunderstood composers of the 20th Century along Schoenberg et. al.

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Upcoming release:

Looks like an interesting release, but disappointing that the althorn won’t be used as Hindemith requested. Thank goodness this Harmonia Mundi recording gets it right:

[The new erato]

The Drei Gesänge is a little gem of a work. I think early Hindemith would take many by surprise, especially if they were only familiar with his later output.

Absolutely agree. Weltende is a superb late romantic masterpiece.

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Absolutely agree. Weltende is a superb late romantic masterpiece.

I also think rather highly of Die junge Magd, which has such an alluring sound-world that fans of Debussy and Ravel would admire.