Hindemith, Paul
Hindemith, Paul
Hindemith, Paul, eminent German-born American composer and teacher; b. Hanau, near Frankfurt am Main, Nov. 16, 1895; d. Frankfurt am Main, Dec. 28, 1963. He began studying violin at the age of 9; at 14, he entered the Hoch Cons. in Frankfurt am Main, where he studied violin with A. Rebner, and composition with Arnold Mendelssohn and Sekles. His father was killed in World War I, and Hindemith was compelled to rely on his own resources to make a living. He was concert-master of the orch. of the Frankfurt am Main Opera (1915–23), and later played the viola in the string quartet of his teacher Rebner; from 1922 to 1929 he was violist in the Amar String Quartet; also appeared as a soloist on the viola and viola d’amore; later was engaged as a conductor, mainly in his own works. As a composer, he joined the modern movement and was an active participant in the contemporary music concerts at Donaueschingen, and later in Baden-Baden. In 1927 he was appointed instructor in composition at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik. With the advent of the Hitler regime in 1933, Hindemith began to experience increasing difficulties, both artistically and politically. Although his own ethnic purity was never questioned, he was married to Gertrud Rottenberg, daughter of the Jewish conductor Ludwig Rottenberg, and he stubbornly refused to cease ensemble playing with undeniable Jews. Hitler’s propaganda minister, Goebbels, accused Hindemith of cultural Bolshevism, and his music fell into an official desuetude. Unwilling to compromise with the barbarous regime, Hindemith accepted engagements abroad. Beginning in 1934, he made 3 visits to Ankara at the invitation of the Turkish government, and helped to organize the music curriculum at the Ankara Cons. He made his first American appearance at the Coolidge Festival at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., in a performance of his Unaccompanied Viola Sonata (April 10, 1937). Hindemith was an instructor at the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood in the summer of 1940; from 1940 to 1953 he was a prof. at Yale Univ.; during the academic year 1950-51, he was the Charles Eliot Norton Lecturer at Harvard Univ. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1946. In 1953 he went to Switzerland and gave courses at the Univ. of Zürich. He also was active as a guest conductor in Europe and the U.S.
Hindemith’s early music reflects rebellious opposition to all tradition; this is noted in such works as the opera Mörder, Hoffnung der Frauen (1919) and Suite 1922 for Piano (1922); at the same time, he cultivated the techniques of constructivism, evident in his theatrical sketch Hin und Zurück (1927), in which Krebsgang (retrograde movement) is applied to the action on the stage, so that events are reversed; in a work of a much later period, Ludus Tonalis (1943), the postlude is the upside-down version of the prelude. Along constructive lines is Hindemith’s cultivation of Gebrauchsmusik, that is, music for use; he was also an ardent champion of Hausmusik, to be played or sung by amateurs at home; the score of his Frau Musica (as revised in 1944) has an obbligato part for the audience to sing. A neo-Classical trend is shown in a series of works, entitled Kammermusik, for various instrumental combinations, poly-phonically conceived, and Baroque in style. Although he made free use of atonal melodies, he was never tempted to adopt an integral 12-tone method, which he opposed on aesthetic grounds. Having made a thorough study of early music, he artfully assimilated its polyphony in his works; his masterpiece of this genre was the opera Mathis der Maler. A prolific composer, Hindemith wrote music of all types for all instrumental combinations, including a series of sonatas for each orch. instrument with piano. His style may be described as a synthesis of modern, Romantic, Classical, Baroque, and other styles, a combination saved from the stigma of eclecticism only by Hindemith’s superlative mastery of technical means. As a theorist and pedagogue, he developed a self-consistent method of presentation derived from the acoustical nature of harmonies. The Auftrag der Hindemith-Stiftung began issuing a collected ed. in 1975. Thematic indexes have been compiled by K. Stone (N.Y., 1954; verified by the composer) and H. Rösner, Paul Hindemith—Katalog seiner Werke, Diskographie, Bibliographie, Einführung in das Schaffen (Frankfurt am Main, 1970).
Works
dramatic: Opera: Mörder, Hoffnung der Frauen, op.12 (1919; Stuttgart, June 4, 1921); Das Nusch- Nuschi, op.20, marionette opera (1920; Stuttgart, June 4, 1921; rev. version, Königsberg, Jan. 22, 1931); Sancta Susanna, op.21 (1921; Frankfurt am Main, March 26, 1922); Cardillac, op.39 (Dresden, Nov. 9, 1926; rev. version, Zürich, June 20, 1952); Hin und Zurück, op.45a, 1-act sketch (Baden-Baden, July 17, 1927); Neues vom Tage (1928-29; Berlin, June 8, 1929; rev. 1953; Naples, April 7, 1954, composer conducting); Mathis der Maler (1934-35; Zürich, May 28, 1938); Orfeo, realization of Monteverdi’s opera (1943); Die Harmonie der Welt (1950-57; Munich, Aug. 11, 1957, composer conducting); Das lange Weihnachtsmahl (1960; Mannheim, Dec. 17, 1961). incidental music:Tutti-fantchen (Darmstadt, Dec. 13, 1922). Ballet: Der Dämon, op.28, pantomime (1922; Darmstadt, Dec. 1, 1923); Nobilissima visione, dance legend in 6 scenes (perf. as St. Francis by the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, London, July 21, 1938, composer conducting); Theme and Variations: The 4 Temperaments for String Orch. and Piano (1940; N.Y., Nov. 20, 1946); Hérodiade, after Mallarmé (perf. as Mirror before Me by the Martha Graham Dance Co., Washington, D.C., Oct. 30, 1944). ORCH.: Cello Concerto, op.3 (1916); Lustige Sinfonietta, op.4 (1916); Piano Concerto, op.29 (1924); Concerto for Oboe, Bassoon, Violin, and Orch., op.38 (Duisburg, July 25, 1925); Konzertmusik for Wind Orch., op.41 (Donaueschingen, July 1926); Konzertmusik for Viola and Orch., op.48 (Hamburg, March 28, 1930, composer soloist); Konzertmusik for Piano, Brass, and 2 Harps, op.49 (Chicago, Oct. 12, 1930); Konzertmusik for Strings and Brass, op.50 (for 50th anniversary of the Boston Sym. Orch.; Boston, April 3, 1931); Konzertstück for Trautonium and Strings (1931); Philharmonisches Konzert, variations (Berlin, April 15, 1932); Mathis der Maler, sym. from the opera (Berlin, March 11, 1934, Furtwängler conducting); Der Schwanendreher, concerto for Viola and Small Orch. (Amsterdam, Nov. 14, 1935, composer soloist); Trauermusik for Solo Viola or Violin or Cello and String Orch. (written for a memorial broadcast for King George V, who died on Jan. 20, 1936; London, Jan. 22, 1936, composer soloist); Symphonic Dances (London, Dec. 5, 1937); Nobilissima visione, suite from the ballet (Venice, Sept. 13, 1938); Violin Concerto (1939; Amsterdam, March 14, 1940); Cello Concerto (1940; Boston, Feb. 7, 1941; Piatigorsky soloist); Sym. in E-flat (1940; Minneapolis, Nov. 21, 1941); Cupid and Psyche, overture for a ballet (Philadelphia, Oct. 29, 1943); Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber (1943; N.Y., Jan. 20, 1944); Theme and Variations: The 4 Temperaments for String Orch. and Piano (Boston, Sept. 3, 1944, Foss soloist); Piano Concerto (1945; Cleveland, Feb. 27, 1947, Sanroma soloist); Symphonia Serena (1946; Dallas, Feb. 2, 1947); Clarinet Concerto (1947; Philadelphia, Dec. 11, 1950, Benny Goodman soloist); Concerto for 4 Winds, Harp, and Small Orch. (N.Y., May 15, 1949); Concerto for Trumpet, Bassoon, and Strings (New Haven, Conn., Nov. 4, 1949; 3rd movement added in 1952); Sinfonietta (1949; Louisville, March 1, 1950, composer conducting); Horn Concerto (1949; Baden-Baden, June 8, 1950, Dennis Brain soloist); Sym. in B-flat for Concert Band (Washington, D.C., April 5, 1951, composer conducting); Die Harmonie der Welt, sym. from the opera (1951; Basel, Jan. 24, 1952); Pittsburgh Symphony (1958; Pittsburgh, Jan. 30, 1959, composer conducting); Organ Concerto (1962-63; N.Y., April 25, 1963, Heiller soloist, composer conducting). CHAMBER: Andante and Scherzo, op.l, trio for Clarinet, Horn, and Piano (1914); unnumbered String Quartet in C, op.2 (1915); Piano Quintet, op.7 (1917); 3 Stücke for Cello and Piano, op.8 (1917); 6 numbered string quartets: No. 1, op.10 (Frankfurt am Main, June 2, 1919), No. 2, op.16 (Donaueschingen, Aug. 1, 1922), No. 3, op.22 (Donaueschingen, Nov. 4, 1922), No. 4, op.32 (Vienna, Nov. 5, 1923), No. 5 (Washington, D.C., Nov. 7, 1943), and No. 6 (Washington, D.C., March 21, 1946); set of 6 sonatas, opp. 11/1-6: 2 for Violin and Piano (1918), 1 for Cello and Piano (1919), 1 for Viola and Piano (1919), 1 for Solo Viola (1919), and 1 for Solo Violin (1919); Kleine Kammermusik, op.24/2, for Wind Quintet (1922); set of 4 sonatas, opp. 25/1-4: 1 for Solo Viola (1922), 1 for Viola d’Amore and Piano (1923), 1 for Solo Cello (1923), and 1 for Viola and Piano (1924); “Minimax”—Reportorium für Militärmusik, parody for String Quartet (1923); Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet, op.30 (Salzburg Festival, Aug. 7, 1923); set of 4 sonatas, opp. 31/1-4: 2 for Solo Violin (1924), 1, Canonic Sonatina, for 2 Flutes (1924), and 1 for Solo Viola (1924); 2 trios for Violin, Viola, and Cello (op.34, Salzburg, Aug. 6, 1924; Antwerp, March 17, 1933); Rondo for 3 Guitars (1925); 3 Stücke for 5 Instruments (1925); 7 numbered pieces titled Kammermusik: No. 1, op.24/1 (Donaueschingen Festival, July 31, 1922), No. 2, op.36/1, for Piano and 12 Instruments (Frankfurt am Main, Oct. 31, 1924), No. 3, op.36/2, for Cello and 10 Instruments (Bochum, April 30, 1925; composer’s brother, Rudolf, soloist), No. 4, op.36/3, for Violin and Large Chamber Orch. (Dessau, Sept. 25, 1925), No. 5, op.36/4, for Viola and Large Chamber Orch. (Berlin, Nov. 3, 1927), No. 6, op.46/1, for Viola d’Amore and Chamber Orch. (1927; Cologne, March 29, 1928), and No. 7, op.46/2, for Organ and Chamber Ensemble (1927; Frankfurt am Main, Jan. 8, 1928); 8 Pieces for Flute (1927); Trio for Viola, Heckelphone or Saxophone, and Piano, op.47 (1928); 2 Canonic Duets for 2 Violins (1929); 14 Easy Duets for 2 Violins (1931); Konzertstück for 2 Saxophones (1933); Duet for Viola and Cello (1934); 2 violin sonatas (1935, 1939); Flute Sonata (1936); Sonata for Solo Viola (1937); Meditation for Violin or Viola or Cello and Piano (1938); Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1938); Oboe Sonata (1938); Bassoon Sonata (1938; transcribed for Bass Clarinet in 1959 for Josef Horâk); Clarinet Sonata (1939); Horn Sonata (1939); Trumpet Sonata (1939); Sonata for Solo Harp (1939); Viola Sonata (1939); English Horn Sonata (1941); Trombone Sonata (1941); A Frog He Went ?-Courting, variations for Cello and Piano (1941); Echo for Flute and Piano (1942); Sonata for Saxophone or Alto Horn or Horn and Piano (1943); Septet for Winds (1948); Double Bass Sonata (1949); Sonata for 4 Horns (1952); Tuba Sonata (1955); Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and String Quintet (Berlin, Sept. 23, 1958). piano: 7 Waltzes, op.6, for 4 Hands (1916); In einer Nacht, op. 15, a set of 14 pieces (1920); Sonata, op.17 (1917); Tanzstücke, op.19 (1922); Suite “1922,” op.26 (1922); Klaviermusik, op.37, incorporating Übung in drei Stücken, op.37/1 (1925) and Reihe kleiner Stücke, op.37/2 (1927); 3 numbered sonatas (1936); Sonata for 4 Hands (1938); Sonata for 2 Pianos (1942); Ludus Tonalis, studies (Chicago, Feb. 15, 1943). VOCAL: 3 Songs for Soprano and Orch., op.9 (1917); Melancholie for Contralto and String Quartet, op.13 (1918); Des Todes Tod, op.23/1, 3 songs for Woman’s Voice, 2 Violas, and 2 Cellos (1922); Die junge Magd, op.23/2, 6 poems for Contralto, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet (1922); Lieder nach alten Texten, op.33, for Chorus (1923); Die Serenaden, op.35, little cantata for Soprano, Oboe, Viola, and Cello (1925); Der Lindenbergflug for Soloists and Orch. (1929); Das Unaufhörliche, oratorio (Berlin, Nov. 21, 1931); 5 Songs on Old Texts for Chorus (c. 1938); 6 Chansons for Chorus, after Rilke (1939); 3 Choruses for Men’s Chorus (1939); The Demon of the Gibbet for Men’s Chorus (1939); When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d, an American Requiem after Whitman, for Mezzo-soprano, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (N.Y., May 14, 1946); Apparebit Repentina Dies for Chorus and Brass (Cambridge, Mass., May 2, 1947); Das Marienleben for Soprano and Orch., after Rilke (1938-48; rev., shortened, and orchestrated version of songs orig. for Voice and Piano, 1923); Ite, angeli veloces, cantata trilogy: Chant de triomphe du roi David, Custos quid de node, and Cantique de l’espérance (1953-55; 1st complete perf., Wuppertal, June 4, 1955); 12 Madrigals for 5-part Chorus (1958); Der Mainzer Umzug for Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (Mainz, June 23, 1962); Mass for Chorus (Vienna, Nov. 12, 1963). voice and piano: 3 Hymnen, op.14, after Whitman (1919); 8 Songs for Soprano, op.18 (1920); Das Marienleben, op.27, after Rilke (Donaueschingen, June 17, 1923; rev. radically and perf. in Hannover, Nov. 3, 1948); 6 Lieder for Tenor and Piano (1933–35); 13 Motets (1941–60); 9 English Songs (1942–44).
gebrauchsmusik: Music for Mechanical Instruments, op.40: Toccata for Player Piano, and Music for Mechanical Organ (both 1926-27); music for the film Felix the Cat for Mechanical Organ, op.42 (1927); Spielmusik for Strings, Flutes, and Oboes, op.43/1 (1927); Lieder für Singkreise for Voices, op.43/2 (1927); Schulwerk für Instrumental- Zusammenspiel, op.44 (1927); Sing- und Spielmusiken für Liebhaber und Musikfreunde, including: Frau Musica for Soli, Chorus, and Strings, op.45/1 (1928; rev. as In Praise of Music, 1943), 8 Canons for 2 Voices and Instruments, op.45/2 (1928), Ein Jäger aus Kurpfalz for Strings and Winds, op.45/3 (1928), Kleine Klaviermusik, op.45/4 (1929), and Martinslied for Unison Chorus and 3 Instruments, op.45/5 (1929); Lehrstück for Male Soloists, Narrator, Chorus, Orch., Dance Group, Clowns, and Community Singing, after Brecht (Baden-Baden, July 28, 1929); Wir bauen eine Stadt, play for Children’s Soli and Chorus, and Instruments (Berlin, June 21, 1930); Ploner Musiktag, in 4 sections: Morgenmusik for Brass Quintet, Tafelmusik for Strings and Brass, Kantate for Soli, Children’s Chorus, Narrator, Strings, Winds, and Percussion, and Abendkonzert, 6 individual pieces for Chamber and Orch. Grouping (all 1932; Plon, June 1932); Wer sich die Musik erkiest for Voices and Instruments (1952).
Writings
Unterweisung im Tonsatz (2 vols., 1937, 1939; Eng. ed. as The Craft of Musical Composition, N.Y., 1941; rev., 1945); A Concentrated Course in Traditional Harmony (2 vols., N.Y., 1943, 1953); Elementary Training for Musicians (N.Y., 1946); J.S. Bach: Heritage and Obligation (New Haven, Conn., 1952; Ger. ed., J.S. Bach: Ein verpflichtendes Erbe, Wiesbaden, 1953); A Composer’s World: Horizons and Limitations (Cambridge, Mass., 1952).
Bibliography
The H.-Jahrbuch began publication in 1971. See also the following: H. Strobel, P. H. (Mainz, 1928; 3rd ed., aug., 1948); H. Schilling, P. H.’s Cardillac (Würzburg, 1962); A. Briner, P. H. (Zürich, 1970; Eng. tr., 1987); I. Kemp, H. (London, 1970); E. Zwink, P. H.s Unterweisung im Tonsatz (Göppingen, 1974); G. Skelton, P. H: The Man behind the Music (London, 1975); G. Metz, Melodische Polyphonie in der Zwölftonordnung: Studien zum Kontrapunkt P. H.s (Baden-Baden, 1976); D. Rexroth, Erprobungen und Erfahrungen: Zu P. H.s Schaffen in den Zwanziger Jahren (Frankfurt am Main, 1978); G. Schubert, H. (Hamburg, 1981); D. Rexroth, P. H. Briefe (Frankfurt am Main, 1982); E. Preussner, P. H.: Ein Lebensbild (Innsbruck, 1984); D. Neumeyer, The Music of P. H.. (New Haven, 1986); S. Cook, Opera During the Weimar Republic: The Zeitopern of Ernst Krenek, Kurt Weill, and P. H.. (Ann Arbor, 1987); A. Briner, D. Rexroth, and G. Schubert, P. H.: Leben und Werk in Bild und Text (Zürich, 1988); S. Hinton, The Idea of Gebrauchsmusik: A Study of Musical Aesthetics in the WeimarRepublic (1919–1933) with Particular Reference to the Works of P. H. (N.Y. and London, 1989); L. Noss, P. H. in the United States (Urbana, 1989); G. Breimann, “Mathis der Maler” und der “Fall H.:” Studien zu H.s Opernlibretto im Kontext der kulturgeschichtlichen und politischen Begingungen der 30er. Jahre (Frankfurt am Main, 1997); M. Kube, H.s frühe Streichquartette (1915–1923): Studien zu Form, Faktur und Harmonik (Kassel, 1997); S. Bruhn , The Temptation of P H.: Mathis der Maler as Spiritual Testimony (Stuyvesant, N.Y., 1998); K. Kim, Studien zum musikpädagogischen Werk P. H.s (Frankfurt am Main, 1998).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire