Hindemith Symphonies

[amw]

Paul Hindemith wrote eight pieces titled "Symphony" or "Sinfonietta", and some ancillary works. I think they're all good, but we only ever seem to hear the Mathis der Maler & Harmonie der Welt symphonies with any frequency, plus occasional outings for the Symphony in E-flat as a favoured work of several conductors (e.g. Bernstein, Blomstedt, Eschenbach). Vote for your favourites, I guess, and argue over whether the two pieces with "Symphonic" in their name deserve to also be counted as symphonies. There is potentially room to discuss recordings, but for some of the less-recorded works there's very little choice in the matter.

I'm a Lustige Sinfonietta/Symphonic Dances/Harmonie der Welt partisan myself.

[MusicTurner]

'Harmonie der Welt' with Mravinsky is my absulute favourite. But maybe I should revisit the others, can't say to know them by heart.

Am against any extended definitions ... 

[Biffo]

My favourite versions are -

Mathis der Maler - Steinberg/Boston SO
Harmonie der Welt - Blomstedt/Leipzig Gewandhaus
Symphony in E flat - Bernstein/NYPO

I don't think the Symphonic Metamorphoses (my favourite Abbado/LSO) can be counted as a symphony but the Concert Music for Strings and Brass could be considered.

[Symphonic Addict]

Mathis der Maler
Symphony in E flat
Pittsburgh Symphony

I remember the Lustige Sinfonietta being a stunning piece. I don't know well the Sinfonietta in E.

[Karl Henning]

I voted for the Symphony in E^b, the Symphony in B^b for band and the Symphonia Serena, although, yes, I love 'em all.

[Daverz]

I voted for the Pittsburgh Symphony after Mathis and the E flat, though the only conductor who seemed to be able to make it work was Kegel.  The Kegel Hindemith box on Brilliant Classics or Berlin Classics is highly recommended.

[amw]

I don't know well the Sinfonietta in E.

The Sinfonietta in E does seem to be an unusually obscure piece, despite having two recordings available (one in the CPO integral, one by its dedicatees in Louisville) whereas e.g. the Lustige Sinfonietta has only one and was unpublished until recently.

I voted for the Pittsburgh Symphony after Mathis and the E flat, though the only conductor who seemed to be able to make it work was Kegel.

The CPO booklet notes describe the Pittsburgh Symphony as Hindemith's most obscure, so I was surprised to discover two recordings by not-at-all-obscure conductors (Kegel and Rozhdestvensky; admittedly, the latter has recorded almost the entire orchestral repertoire, and with varying levels of success). The Kegel version is indeed the best, as far as I can tell, but it was actually listening to the Albert version that prompted this thread.

[Karl Henning]

I voted for the Pittsburgh Symphony after Mathis and the E flat, though the only conductor who seemed to be able to make it work was Kegel.  The Kegel Hindemith box on Brilliant Classics or Berlin Classics is highly recommended.

Good set,, though I don't think I've yet tuned into the Pbgh

[Sergeant Rock]

Mathis, Pittsburgh and Symphonic Metamorphosis.

Sarge

[Brian]

This is a self-reminder to listen to all the Hindemith symphonies and vote. Currently listening to the cello concerto for the first time and enjoying it a lot. Might just be turning into a big Hindemith fan.

[Mirror Image]

This is a self-reminder to listen to all the Hindemith symphonies and vote. Currently listening to the cello concerto for the first time and enjoying it a lot. Might just be turning into a big Hindemith fan.

Excellent! This past year, I spent a lot of time digging through his oeuvre and found many gems along the way that were outside of the normal works that people talk about the most.