MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             


Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger


REVIEW


Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Chandos recordings
All Chandos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing

 

 

AVAILABILITY

Buywell Just Classical


Paul HINDEMITH (1895-1963)
Symphony, Mathis der Maler (1933/1934) [25:49]
Konzertmusik for strings and brass, op.50 (1930) [16:21]
Der Schwanendreher for viola and orchestra (1935) [26:57]
Boston Symphony Orchestra/William Steinberg (Symphony and Konzertmusik)
Daniel Benyamini (viola); Orchestre de Paris/Daniel Barenboim (Schwanendreher)
rec. Symphony Hall, Boston, October 1971 (Symphony; Konzertmusik); Salle de la Mutualité, Paris, June 1979 (Schwanendreher).
DEUTSCHE GRAMOPHON ELOQUENCE 4800662 [69:49]
Experience Classicsonline


Hindemith, for some unknown reason, has never really been accepted as the major composer he so obviously is. The reason must be because he seems to be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud kind of fellow. Nice enough, to be sure, but somewhat unsmiling and far too serious for his own good. He is perceived as typically German - too much bier and wurst. But this simply isn’t true, for there’s a wealth and range of fabulous music to be found in his huge output - the string quartets, the symphonies, not to mention a set of sonatas for every orchestral instrument with piano accompaniment, orchestral music, operas and ballets. True, he wrote too much and not all of it is on a high plain of inspiration but at his best he is a force to be reckoned with.

This disk contains two of his most approachable works. There’s the superb Symphony Mathis der Maler, made from music he wrote for the opera of the same name, and, one of my favourite Hindemith works, the splendid Konzertmusik for strings and brass, commissioned by Koussevitsky and written for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony. We also get the less well known Der Schwanendreher. Odd that it isn’t often heard considering how few major concerted works there are for viola and orchestra. In any event it is a delight, being based on old German folk songs.

Steinberg’s performances here are first rate but this consideration must be tempered by my knowledge of other recordings of the music. My main problem is that, throughout, Steinberg chooses fast, too fast, tempi. The first movement of the Symphony is rushed, the music not having sufficient space to breathe. The middle, slow, movement, is quite eloquent and very poised, containing some fine woodwind playing. Here, as in the first movement, Steinberg knows how to build a big climax within the context of the music and not having it suddenly burst out of nowhere. The final movement is all angst and energy. Again, a too fast tempo is chosen and Steinberg sticks to it with the result that despite the excitement generated, and the obvious commitment to the work, it’s all too breathless. More often than not, Hindemith’s music needs an expansive approach to allow the music time to register with the listener. Steinberg’s 1956 recording of the work, with the Pittsburgh Symphony is on EMI Classics 65868, coupled with Toch’s 3rd Symphony - written for Steinberg and Pittsburgh - and Stokowski’s incomparable account of Frank Martin’s Petite Symphonie Concertante. That version shows a better and more tempered approach. If you want more modern sound then look no further than the San Francisco Symphony and Herbert Blomstedt on Decca 421 523-2, coupled with the Trauermusik and a sparkling account of the Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber.

The wonderful Konzertmusik suffers from the same hectic manner. The Boston players can easily manage Steinberg’s tempi, and it must be said that the brass and strings sound resplendent, but one is left gasping at the excellence of the playing rather than wondering at the superb music. Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra can be heard on EMI 5 86095 2, coupled with the Symphonic Metamorphoses on themes of Weber and Bartók’s Miraculous Mandarin Suite. His is a much stronger prospect, being a better thought out interpretation. But if it’s excitement in these works you’re craving then this is for you. The sound is stunning.

Daniel Benyamini’s account of Der Schwanendreher, Hindemith’s third concerto for his own instrument, is a perfect example of how to play this composer. It is thoughtful, graceful, and his performance has a gentle affirmation in every bar. He is very ably accompanied by Barenboim and the Paris Orchestra.

This issue, whilst not perfect, will certainly please, and it could win new admirers for this much misunderstood, and occasionally maligned, composer. But don’t forget that Hindemith recorded these works himself and if, like me, you want fully to understand this music then the composer’s own interpretations are essential even if the sound is dated. Mathis der Maler is available in two different performances both with the Berlin Philharmonic. They’re on Deutsche Grammophon, recorded in the 1950s - coupled with Concerto for Orchestra, op.38, Cupid and Psyche, Konzertmusik for Piano, Brass and 2 Harps, op.49, Symphonische Tänze, Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber, Symphony Die Harmonie der Welt and Theme and Variations for Piano and Strings ‘The Four Temperaments’, DG 474 770-2 (3 CDs). You can also encounter it courtesy of Dutton, recorded in 1934 and issued on CDBP 9767, coupled with Der Schwanendreher performed by Hindemith himself, with the Fiedler Sinfonietta conducted by Arthur Fiedler, recorded in 1939 and the Violin Concerto, played by Henry Merckel, with the Lamoureux Orchestra conducted by Roger Désormière, recorded in 1948. The composer’s Konzertmusik can be heard too with the Philharmonia in the 1950s on EMI 77344. It’s coupled with the Clarinet Concerto with Louis Cahuzac, Horn Concerto, with Dennis Brain and the Nobilissima Visione Suite, the Symphonia Serena and the Symphony in B flat for Concert Band.

If you’re only a casual listener to Hindemith then this is as good an example of his music as any currently available. If you’re more serious about him, then look elsewhere for lasting pleasure.

Bob Briggs  

 
 


EXPLORE MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL

Making a Donation to MusicWeb

Writing CD reviews for MWI

About MWI
Who we are, where we have come from and how we do it.

Site Map

How to find a review

How to find articles on MusicWeb
Listed in date order

Review Indexes
   By Label
      Select a label and all reviews are listed in Catalogue order
   By Masterwork
            Links from composer names (eg Sibelius) are to resource pages with links to the review indexes for the individual works as well as other resources.

Themed Review pages

Jazz reviews

 

Discographies
   Composer
      Composer surveys
   National
      Unique to MusicWeb -
a comprehensive listing of all LP and CD recordings of given works
.
Prepared by Michael Herman

The Collector’s Guide to Gramophone Company Record Labels 1898 - 1925
Howard Friedman

Book Reviews

Complete Books
We have a number of out of print complete books on-line

Interviews
With Composers, Conductors, Singers, Instumentalists and others
Includes those on the Seen and Heard site

Nostalgia

Nostalgia CD reviews

Records Of The Year
Each reviewer is given the opportunity to select the best of the releases

Monthly Best Buys
Recordings of the Month and Bargains of the Month

Comment
Arthur Butterworth Writes

An occasional column

Phil Scowcroft's Garlands
British Light Music articles

Classical blogs
A listing of Classical Music Blogs external to MusicWeb International

Reviewers Logs
What they have been listening to for pleasure

Announcements

 

Community
Bulletin Board

Give your opinions or seek answers

Reviewers
Past and present

Helpers invited!

Resources
How Did I Miss That?

Currently suspended but there are a lot there with sound clips


Composer Resources

British Composers

British Light Music Composers

Other composers

Film Music (Archive)
Film Music on the Web (Closed in December 2006)

Programme Notes
For concert organizers

External sites
British Music Society
The BBC Proms
Orchestra Sites
Recording Companies & Retailers
Online Music
Agents & Marketing
Publishers
Other links
Newsgroups
Web News sites etc

PotPourri
A pot-pourri of articles

MW Listening Room
MW Office

Advice to Windows Vista users  
Questionnaire    
Site History  
What they say about us
What we say about us!
Where to get help on the Internet
CD orders By Special Request
Graphics archive
Currency Converter
Dictionary
Magazines
Newsfeed  
Web Ring
Translation Service

Rules for potential reviewers :-)
Do Not Go Here!
April Fools




Return to Review Index

Untitled Document


Reviews from previous months
Join the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the discs reviewed. details
We welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to which you refer.