Probably time for ' Hindemith List: Essential works for Beginners'.

Appreciate the historical background here on his disappearance from the musical mainstream. When I was a child taking piano lessons in the early 2000s, I remember my teacher mentioning Hindemith as one of the greatest modernist composers. After checking out some of his piano works I wasn't initially taken with him and moved on. For the rest of my musical life he's been little more than a footnote, and I had always wondered where my teacher got the impression he was one of the greats. After this video I will definitely make it a priority to listen through this record and give him the chance he deserves.

I got most of these works on the Chandos series in the 90s under Tortelier, and Decca with Blomstedt, and really enjoyed them. The Symphonic Dances were a great discovery to me in the Chandos series, and I wondered why they aren't programmed more. I didn't realize this CPO set is still available, and now I may have to get it to hear some of the works you mentioned that aren't on the Chandos and Decca discs.

@DavesClassicalGuide

3 күн бұрын

Most are not in the Chandos or Decca sets, fine though they are.

Always great to see Hindemith vids

When you mentioned that Hindemith's harmonic system was based on the fourth, I finally realized why his ending tonic chords sound like no one else's. It has been an obsession of mine. They arrive almost by surprise, yet sound especially stable and satisfying--almost "pure." Since the usual signposts and tensions of diatonic and chromatic harmonies are missing, it's like discovering a new side of the tonic's personality, in a way. I notice this especially in the Piano Sonatas, where he occasionally voices it in the first inversion!

I have to give a special shoutout to Hindemith's Philharmonic Concerto. It's such a terrific work, so well crafted, and with a really thrilling ending. I first heard it decades ago on a concert over the radio with the Chicago Symphony and Erich Leinsdorf...what a performance, especially with the CSO brass roaring to life. Well worth a listen and (like so many other pieces),I just don't know why more orchestras have not taken it up. Granted, it's a challenging piece to play but a good orchestra could manage it.

Agreed about the symphony in E-flat: along with the Mathis der Maler symphony (an outstanding piece), it's a great entry into Hindemith's world. It's exciting, and within a couple minutes you'll have a good idea of Hindemith's unique stylistic fingerprint. Anyone who likes their 20th-century music to be tuneful but have some real harmonic bite should be checking this stuff out.

I love those recordings which I purchased years ago and they're fantastic. I love Hindemith on the CPO label.

Lovely to see you highlighting a CPO project. I have only recently discovered this label, and boy do they have some fantastic and rare material. I have been collecting their Bacewicz symphonic cycle with the WDR, and it is excellent. Their Atterberg is also very nice. Maybe you could cover one or two of their series?

@DavesClassicalGuide

3 күн бұрын

I already have. There’s a label playlist.

Barenboim's recording of the Trauermusik (not in Vol 1) with the English Chamber Orchestra (plus Siegfried Idyll and Verklarte Nacht) was one of my most played and favourite vinyl albums. It is rarely, if ever performed but astonishing given it was composed in less than a day on the death of King George V. As for the operas, there may be 5 recordings of Cardillac, but they are rarely if ever performed outside Germany and not that often in it. An early influence on Shostakovich, Hindemith is one of those neglected composers who I agree is worthy of a new look.

Symphony: Mathis der Maler is easily among the greatest works of the. 20th century, and the opera is no slouch either. Once I discovered the opera through that remarkable Kubelik recording on EMI (not Angel), I was totally enthralled. Oh….and Hindemith composed the only known (to me) Sonata for Eb Alto Horn (which, incidentally, plays beautifully on alto trombone).

Wonderful! I just ordered it...looking forward to exploring this set. Thanks, Dave.

This stuff really very interesting for me)

I sense that Mildred may not be a Hindemith fan...😮

Indeed. Chailly programmed the Kammermusik with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw when he was chief baton there back in the day and that was very poorly attended. They prefer Bach, Bruckner, Brahms and Beethoven. Cracking Decca recording though!

After watching a previous review in your channel, a friend lent me the whole box (he's not into XXth century music, so I hope it'll stay here for a good time). I'm really enjoying his works. That "half-naked" lady scene in the bathtub and the psycho blushing like a twisted child should be AI generated, among the other lunatic wanna-be priest listening to Dmitri's opera. Both released by Tinnitus Classics with a-capella selected parts and parody coments by the tyrants mixed into 'em. Just kidding, it was no fun for both composers. But thanks Dave for the fun on those Tinnitus Classics videos. Really made my week. RIP Pippo.

I've been looking at getting these cpo boxes, I like some Hindemith but not all but after your enthusiasm I'm definitely getting these boxes as soon as my pocket allows as I've just spent out on Saint Sean's Warner symphonies box and British music book.

Yes! There’s some amazing music here, like the wind concertos.

Oh my god thank you for this! I've been trying to figure out where to start with Hindemith because I've only been familiar with the Symphony in B-flat and Symphonic Metamorphoses transcription for wind band.

I remember reading about 25 years ago an article (or review or book or... something) that said that Hindemith was one of the two most important composers of the 20th century, along with Stravinsky. At the time, Hindemith didn't do all that much for me, so I thought it was a little excessive of an assertion. Buty, as Dave noted, basically no one cares about Hindemith these days. I enjoy a lot of Hindemith now, but it still seems rather over the top to put him in the same league as Stravinsky. The latter was immeasurably influential. Who were the Hindemith acolytes?

@DavesClassicalGuide

4 күн бұрын

He actually had quite a few--it's just that they were ignored because they didn't join the atonal avant-garde.

@robhaynes4410

4 күн бұрын

@@DavesClassicalGuide Are they ones who've earned a reputation in the last couple of decades, since the collapse of the avant garde?

Perhaps Hindemith's music was too good for its own good? Bach fans need not worry but the others? His music needs lots of patience, but repays with more dividends than expected. I remember singing in his Requiem, and hardly anyone turned up. If people profess a love for Handel's Messiah and Bach's choral fugues, Hindemith is surely the 20th century avatar. He remains massively underrated.

We your disciple followers do so hope that you and your partner have cultivated effective eyebrow communication because you're soon to be up to your eyes in compact discs, so many that sound from your vocal organs will be absorbed by plastic. Eyebrows only comms for you soon, Mr Mad CD collector!

I've read that it was the triumph of the 12 tone serialists in academia that relegated Hindemith to the low position he retains today.

@DavesClassicalGuide

4 күн бұрын

No, I don't think so.