Great Composers: Paul Hindemith

A look at a unique German.
This was a request from KZbinrs feiten 11, Ezequiel Tomaselli Composición, Zack White, Alex Robson, RandoMoldova, and Marty Nickison. See all requests at www.lentovivace...
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Classical Nerd is a weekly video series covering music history, theoretical concepts, and techniques, hosted by composer, pianist, and music history aficionado Thomas Little.
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Music:
- Paul Hindemith: Viola Sonata, Op. 11 No. 4, performed by Beth Guberman and Matan Porat and available on IMSLP: tinyurl.com/yd...
- Thomas Little: Dance! #2 in E minor, Op. 1 No. 2, performed by Rachel Fellows, Michael King, and Bruce Tippette
- Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Tuba and Piano, performed by Joe Goralczyk and Avguste Antonov
[free recording courtesy pianosociety.com]
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Contact Information:
Questions and comments can be directed to:
nerdofclassical [at] gmail.com
Tumblr:
classical-nerd.tumblr.com
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All images and audio in this video are for educational purposes only and are not intended as copyright infringement. If you have a copyright concern, please contact me using the above information.

[@flowerpower1998]

There will be a HUGE Renaissance for the music of Paul Hindemith.

[@gage6151]

Ah yes, the four B's of German music: Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Hindemith.

[@ClassicalNerd]

🅱️indemith

[@arunpegler]

This joke fell flat

[@patrickwalt6903]

​@@arunpeglerhahahaha

[@onlinetheory5115]

One of the best comments I’ve seen haha

[@gemsfromhistorysdustpan2.070]

4 H's

[@markpatterson9585]

HIS SYMPHONY IN BFLAT FOR CONCERT BAND IS A MIND BLOWING MASTERPIECE! LISTEN TO THE FUGUE AND THE END IS THE MOST FANTASTIC PIECES OF MUSIC EVER,EVER WRITTEN. ALSO THE END OF HIS ''DIE HARMONIE DER WELT'' SYMPHONY IS LITERALLY LIKE LEAVING THE EARTH TO HEAVEN

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

You demonstrate a perfect understanding of this composer, teacher and undoubted 20th Century genius. As always, the research is outstanding. As a Brit living in England we desperately need you here !! In the meantime, these videos are vastly important on this channel to teach everyone your incredible knowledge.

[@Mackeson3]

The British composer William Walton's Viola Concerto was written in 1929 and first performed at the Queen's Hall, London on 3 October of that year by Paul Hindemith as soloist and the composer conducting.

[@GEMINDIGO]

Hindemith wrote some of the greatest music of all time.

[@rogerevans8081]

This is an impressively fine introduction. (I say this as a longtime Hindemith fan.)

[@powerliftingcentaur]

I always felt about his music that I might not love it, but it has such integrity, I shall always respect myself afterwards, in the morning. Sometimes I actually do love it, one of the cello concertos, for example. Regardless, I am always compelled to listen, to return to his scores.

[@robinblankenship9234]

An exceptional presentation. Full of firm facts and delivered with enjoyable zest. Well done, sir.

[@hakankursunmusic]

Thank you, one small correction about his time in Turkey. Hindemith was a visiting academic member of the state conservatory in Ankara. Further he was state counselor of the Turkish government for the administration of the state conservatory and the state opera & balet. All my best wishes

[@timothytikker1147]

I saw the early opera Sancta Susanna when it was performed during a Hindemith festival in Eugene, Oregon in 1982. Its libretto concerns a convent where one of the nuns undergoes a sudden mental/emotional metamorphosis which culminates her seeking sexual liberation. I understand that another of these operas included a scene in which a woman is nude in a bathtub (though apparently just wearing a flesh-tone outfit in actual performance). Reportedly that offended Hitler enough that he wanted the opera banned. So the content of the libretti was as much or even more the reason why the Nazis denounced these works. My organ professor in Eugene, Guy Bovet, was a child in Switzerland during Hindemith's exile there and visited with him. When the director of the Hindemith Festival heard about this, he very excitedly asked Guy to tell him about his experience with the composer. To that, Guy admitted "well, actually, we spent most of our time playing with his model train set!"

[@toznerd6369]

Thank you for the correct pronunciation of his name! Hindemith is my favorite composer.

[@maxcohen13]

Excellent video! I'm really glad you did one for Hindemith. His piano sonatas are some of the best ever, I think. Particularly his 3rd... astonishing work.

[@daviddunne4737]

I am a huge , huge fan of Hindemith . He is often forgotten , often overlooked but always brilliant . If you don't know Hindemith treat yourself , you won't be disapponinted . He covers as mentioned a 'widespread ' variation of music forms . Thank you Thomas , excellent presentation . Hindemith seems to be an acquired taste , I have tasted and I am addicted . Just check out Trauermusik , written and premiered on the same day January 1936 written in homage to George the 5 th who had just passed away , a piece of wonderful feeling and ' nobility ' if's thats the right word . Regards Hindemith fans and other have a 'listen' .

[@CharlesAustin]

Hindemith is so worthy of a lot of study. Such a unique and identifiable mesic. As I recall, the news of his death in 1963 elicited a remark from one of my music professors at that time (a certain Hans Karl Piltz) who declared Hindemith no longer a contemporary composer !! but I think every time his music is played it will always be “contemporary”, relevant and durably profound. Thank you again for your own brilliant, informing, and entertaining work here.

[@StephenAntKneeBk5]

Excellent talk, thank you for posting it. I learned a lot. It may have been mentioned in the video -- sorry if I missed it. Hindemith wrote an excellent text called "Elementary Training for Musicians." I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

[@jcastano]

I love Hindemith! Criminally under-appreciated! Did a private reading course at Oberlin focused on contrasting Schoenberg's serialism with Hindemith's tonal language.

[@rajaorrsfcm6591]

Loving these lectures! Keep making more videos!

[@PhilipDaniel]

You really ought to do Paul Hindemith's idol Max Reger, whom Hindemith called "The Last Giant in Music."

[@ClassicalNerd]

Reger has been added to the request pool.

[@rayancharafeddine4982]

Strong Bach-fan lineage here

[@tedruncie]

Gould also regarded Reger very highly

[@imdarealani]

​@@ClassicalNerdCan't wait!!

[@steveimprovises]

I studied with a student of Hindemith and never knew half of this stuff. Great job. I agree that a tritone can be static. If you consider a whole tone or octatonic scale, that have multiple tritones within the system, the tritone completely loses its power to tonicize or move anything forward. But it's good that you pointed out that paradox that what makes tonal music do one thing has no bearing in a non tonal system.

[@grantveebeejay535]

Dear Classical Nerd. I'm hooked on your nasaline geek chic ways and I love your videos as always. May you continue to rise.

[@osutuba]

His Sonata for Tuba is a crazy yet ingenious work.

[@rogerevans8081]

Pity the poor pianist, especially in the last movement. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKjXY6qFp5qNoLs

[@user-xi3uw3cf3g]

My reccomendation : Hindemith double bass and piano sonata (1949)

[@ezequielsanchez9191]

Hindemith is probably one of my favorite composers now. I’m playing sinfonische metamorphosen and it’s the most fun I’ve probably had in a orchestral trombone part.

[@Paul-uq2bz]

I love the „Trauermusik“ by Hindemith

[@LouisWaltersSouthAfrica]

Thank you for your great videos. And thank you for appreciating Hindemith.

[@laurelf.1363]

Hindemith is cool! I’m a harpist and love his Harp Sonata.

[@jeansimon326]

Thank you once again for another terrific presentation. You are one of my most appreciated mentors. Ongoing gratitude...

[@michaelchrist5356]

Love the Casio in the background. Make sure ur matte ties aren’t toting inside.

[@sebastianzaczek]

I played his "Three easy pieces" back in 2014/2015 for a competition (Piano part)😃

[@DoubleAviolin]

Thank you for this. I remember that, in the 1960s and 70s Hindemith's music was everywhere andvery he was regarded as one of the giants of the 20th century. Now he is rarely played any more; I really don't understand why.

[@prometheanevent]

Wow! That was incredibly interesting and informative!

[@Lukz243]

Hey Classical Nerd, found this channel recently and I've enjoyed some lectures of yours, especially for such a music noobie as myself (I mean, I can't read music sheet well or play properly an instrument - not even my voice)

[@neo-eclesiastul9386]

Game of Tones lol, I see what you did there

[@c.contrafactum584]

Awesome and very informative!

[@pianomanhere]

I absolutely adore "The Four Temperaments" and consider it one of the best piano concertos of the 20th century. Concert Music for Strings and Brass; Ludus Tonalis; sonatas for Double Bass and Piano, Heckelphone and Piano, Trombone and Piano; the operas Cardillac and Mathis Der Mahler; Nobilissima Visione; When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd; so many wonderful works.

[@mosstet]

Hugely appreciate you. ❤

[@bobross7005]

Just discovered your channel. Instant fan.

[@fatcontroller12]

I recently played the first movement of his Sonata.

[@soaringvulture]

He wrote more than one. Which sonata? What instrument? Why not play the other movements?

[@hindemith1922]

Hindemith 4ever!

[@imagomundiful]

Also worth mentioning: his contribution to research in early music. Not only rediscovering instruments (like his sonata for viola d'amore) but also the premiere of L'Orfeo on historical instruments. Hindemith does not benefit from the attention he deserves beyond the specialty repertoire.

[@jakilevi3027]

I love this video.keep making more.(i was slightly dizzy by the end watching you move from left to right though! )...but that aside you do a grea job.more please!

[@angierogers2564]

Amazing

[@robertwaddell8427]

“Lilacs” I believe was commissioned by Robert Shaw. There is a vid of Shaw rehearsing the piece for a week in Manhattan and a performance at Carnegie Hall. In his prep of the score Shaw talks about how the piece came about. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3TcXmqhdrxmo9E

[@massawax]

Please consider analysing Buckner's Harmony and rythm

[@ClassicalNerd]

Duly noted: lentovivace.com/classicalnerd.html

[@ImWalde]

How about making a video about Franz Schmidt?

[@ClassicalNerd]

Added to the request pool!

[@seanramsdell4172]

Requests: Jerry Goldsmith, Les Six, Elgar, Janacek, Mozart (I'm surprised that he wasn't covered already), American Five and Auric

[@ClassicalNerd]

Updated.

[@neo-eclesiastul9386]

i am for American Five

[@ClassicalNerd]

Updated.

[@rexdxiv]

You are terrific! Thank you for these great videos. I am a composer and would love to connect with you.

[@ClassicalNerd]

Any time! Contact info is in the description.

[@anewman1976]

How about Howard Hanson?

[@seanramsdell4172]

I seconded that

[@ClassicalNerd]

Hanson has been added to the request pool.

[@anewman1976]

@@ClassicalNerd I just found your channel last week. I'm a radio presenter in Ireland and feel inspired to do something similar during my program.😊

[@paxwallace8324]

12 tone music is the ultimate validation of the inescapable preeminence of tonality.☯️ The human hearing apparatus is a relentless resolution machine. So in order to escape said machine Schoenberg the utmost academic expert on Western tonality knew an artificial system was required to not inadvertently get pulled back into the gravity well of tonality. But 12 tone practice can sound like tonality on acid Berg's Violin Concerto or completely chillingly extra terrestrial like Anton Webern. But REGARDLESS 12 tone precedure is the direct inevitable outgrowth of tempered tuning. Because after Bach the history of Western Art Music can quite accurately be described as a Composer driven high speed power dive into higher and higher levels chromatic density both vertical and horizontal until after 30 or so years of rule bending breaking ignoring expanding on both sides of 1899-1900 the 20th century crisis arises to usher on stage Schoenberg and Stravinsky.

[@paxwallace8324]

COUNTERPOINT!!!!!!!!!

[@christofeles63]

"Enartete" pronounced "ent-Art-tet-te."

[@klaus.mp3]

Can you talk about Joe Hisaishi?

[@ClassicalNerd]

I don't cover living composers because it's impossible to create comprehensive retrospectives of artists whose careers are still ongoing.

[@DreamlessSleepwalker]

@@ClassicalNerdCan you cover Takashi Yoshimatsu. He hasn't written anything for four years and is borderline living.

[@padraicfanning7055]

@@DreamlessSleepwalker David Maslanka might be a better candidate.

[@Simon-ts9fu]

Could someone please help me appreciate Hindemith’s music? I’m not one who cannot appreciate modern or otherwise “strange” music, rather, when something sounds new to me, and it is of high quality, and I feel I don’t quite understand it, I am intrigued precisely because I hear something that arouses my ear without my brain keeping up. But to my ear Hindemith sounds just “stupid” and missing the point. I don’t hear it as atonal, rather he seems to string together diatonic, or otherwise tonal sounding fragments, or in other ways restricting the complete departure from tonality, which does indeed result in a particular style. The problem is that it sounds just like someone randomly improvising, not freely atonally, but always keeping to certain diatonic scales and quickly changing between them - a very simple feat. And similarly the rhythm is banally dull and stodgy, just like a very amateurish improvisation would be. He may have some interesting concepts for composition (I don’t know them in detail), but while most composers have many theoretical tools and ideas and justifications they would use them only to form proposals to their ears as the final arbiters, whereas it seems Hindemith stops short of using a musical ear and simply relies on whatever principles he imagines would create music. This is what I mean that he seems to be missing the point. If I am to find any reason one could appreciate his music it would be that because it is somewhat restricted towards tonality and consonance while still being harmonically erratic and incoherent (such that the harmony will cover lots of varying ground) the listener will be challenged to perceive and follow these harmonic vicissitudes - in a way, the music would arise in the listener’s ability to keep up with and construing the harmonic implications of the sounds of the composition. But again, this is precisely the effect of random diatonic doodling, or the illusion of music one gets from trying to decipher barely audible white key palm piano playing by the neighbour’s toddler. I myself play randomly like this occasionally, with various simple constraints, to achieve this effect, for amusement or inspiration, as it enables me to create music, extremely varied in detail, without preconceiving it before it leaves my hands, as if the instrument plays itself. If this is the effect Hindemith’s music purports to achieve then it may serve as a demonstration of various theoretical principles, but it has hardly the musical quality of a full-fledged composition.

[@ClassicalNerd]

If you're looking to get into Hindemith, I'm rather fond of some of the works in his early period. His _Mörder, Hoffnung der Frauen_ [ kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpm9gaSEfJqlfNk ] is one of several expressionist operas that he wrote early on. Some of the seeds of his later work are there, but despite its expressionist style, I think it's much more approachable and accessible than a work like _Ludus Tonalis,_ which is more stylistically polarizing. It's certainly understandable if Hindemith's mature work is just not to your taste, but I think what you're hearing is the end result of his desire to create _Gebrauchsmusik_ that had its own unique sound, could be composed quickly, and wouldn't lose its innate qualities if it was written to be sight-readable or was for amateurs. Hindemith's mature style is tied up with his ability to write music very quickly, the logical conclusion of which is a system where the music is pretty systematic and can "write itself" to at least some extent. It's not really "diatonic doodling" if you get into the weeds of his system, which manages to incorporate the overtone series in a uniquely non-common practice harmonic system, but if the resulting sound just isn't for you, at least you gave it a listen. If you're interested in Hindemith's theory, his "Craft of Musical Composition" is an interesting and thought-provoking resource which helps elucidate his style.

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

Hi Simon - I have become very fond of Hindemith's music over the years. He was in my opinion the finest composer to come from Germany in the 20th Century. I began with the Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber about 40 years ago and worked forward from that. His symphony Mathis der Maler is also a good starting point. It might also be useful to follow the score whilst listening to these works and I'm sure you will then change your mind about his "improvisation or doodling" as you say. Good luck with it Simon - I do hope you succeed. David A

[@Simon-ts9fu]

Thank you for your replies, and sorry for my belated one. I have tried to find appreciation of Hindemith’s work. I think his style (at least the part of which is relevant for my criticism) comes through in most of his work, albeit more subtly in his earlier works. Regarding his orchestral works I must say that his orchestration is one of the best. His texturally simpler works reveal more clearly his shortcomings. Ludus Tonalis is a good example, but of his orchestral works Mathis Der Maler is fairly transparent as well. I have read his Craft of Musical Composition now and it might indeed shed some light on his music. He, by his own admission, cannot give a complete account of the compositional process but he does seem to conceive of music as a variation of some musical parameters, primarily the tension level of chords and the tension in movement between them (as well as single tones in the melody). This is also how I always perceived his music. It seems as if the composer has a few musical knobs at his disposal which he, more or less on a whim and only for variation, turns up and down. There is little musical structure or conceptual depth. By structure I mean not a superficial structure in the music, such as being a fugue or contrasting movements (Ludus Tonalis has plenty of such), but a structure which is musical, something in line with Schenker’s ideas (I suspect he would be critical of Hindemith as well (though he was easily so)). It is difficult to describe what I mean but it is the same lack of structure you get when you naively improvise a diatonic melody; it may have all of the recognised melodic elements such as stepwise motion and ending on the tonic, but it’s not compelling, only moving here and there. Maybe an analogy is that Hindemith would write poetry by stringing together beautiful words using some rules of grammar. This may seem a good strategy until you realise the sentences would likely be meaningless. His music just doesn’t reach all the way. His theories are somewhat flawed and certainly inadequate, especially in the sense described above, but his ambition and manner of tackling the problem are admirable, and if his ability to articulate his compositional process indeed enabled him to almost automatically compose music of the quality he did, then that is certainly impressive. So even though I still find his music lacking in musicality I should probably consider him a great composer because of his technical mastery and conscious understanding of music. Is it maybe that his heightened conscious treatment of music was what enabled him, by foregoing some natural musicality, to push through its mystery, not finding as great a treasure but venturing further than anyone before? That is, maybe Hindemith’s genius is not in his music but in his making of music.

[@legatrix]

@@Simon-ts9fu Lack of a narrative in the composition, in other words? Is it music for schizophrenics? Compare Messiaen, Allan Holdsworth, The Gasman, and Cardiacs for artists who I feel have the same approach (sorry, mainly non-classical). It feels profound when you listen to it, but I tend to agree with you that there is little conceptual depth.

[@jmoreno600]

The opening sentence is a non sequitur. Also, hot tip dawg, when German people are named Paul, it rhymes with "howl."

[@fasola183]

Aaaaall I’m gonna say is my boyfriend studied viola at the master level and I’m TIRED of hearing him play Hindemith