Klarinet Archive - Posting 000969.txt from 2002/11

From: The Ciompi Family <deal5@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Trivia --- Hindemith
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 18:09:10 -0500

Dear Bill,
Well, maybe I can make up for my wild guess by steering you towards
Hindemithian accessability. Hindemith was a fine violist, and an early
sonata for this instrument and piano (opus 11, I think) is a warm,
thoroughly romantic work. I bet you'd like it. I would imagine you might
know the Kleine Kammermusik for standard woodwind quintet. It is a staple
of the repertory, and shows how Hindemith wrote so idiomatically for each
of the instruments. People say his music got more and more formulaic as he
got older, and you won't get an argument from me. I prefer his Opera,
Mathis der Mahler to any of his other later works with orchestra. The
Weber variations are also
very good and are still part of today's orchestral repertoire. I like Der
Schwanendreher, a chamber concerto for viola and orchestra - pretty wild.
Also there is a very moving work called Trauermusik for solo viola and
string orchestra. His soft spot for the viola seems to show up alot in
quality works.
There is a super quartet for clarinet, violin, cello and piano. It is
hardly ever played and that's a shame. Although a bit "arid" in spots,
especially the slow movement, I think it really rocks and should be
performed more. What a great piece for a clarinetist to make a guest spot
with an established piano trio.
You may know that he wrote a clarinet concerto. It was recorded long
ago with Hindemith conducting and Louis Cahuzac as soloist. This piece sort
of spells out to me Hindemith's later formulaic, almost mechanical way of
composing. It is not a very good piece and, deservedly, is neither
performed or recorded much.
He wrote a ton of music. Why not start with the early opus #'s.

Best wishes,

Arturo

Bill Wright wrote:

> Paul Hindemith once withdrew from a project because he couldn't bear for
> his music to be performed in front of a certain set of scenery. He
> later adapted the music to another use.
>
> Who was the set designer?
>
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