Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)
The music of Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) is innovative for its free use of dissonance
and accessibility to the general public. His significant compositions include:
the song cycles Die junge Magd (1922) and Das Marienleben (1923)
Kleine Kammermusik for winds (1922)
the brief opera Hin und Zuruck (1927)
Mathis der Maler (1934)
Symphony for Band in B Flat (1951)
and numerous sonatas (such as the Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in 1940)
Die junge Magd and Das Marienleben
contain chromatic harmonies reminiscent of Viennese expressionism.
Hindemith infused humor and satire into his Kleine Kammermusik through dissonance.
Hin und Zuruck was a ten minute opera with contrapuntal aggressiveness and syncopation.
Hindemith’s music up to this point was innovative due to his free use of dissonance;
it would not be characterized as atonal.
Hindemith’s music after Hin und Zuruck, such as the incomplete opera Mathis der Maler,
emphasized simplicity and tonality.
Hindemith’s innovation through the accessibility of his music was referred to as Gebrauchsmusik,
or functional music. Gebrauchsmusik is considered music for general use.
This is most evident through his collection of instrumental sonatas.
These sonatas, which feature a wide variety of instrumental soloists, represent music for students.
They were accessible to the general public, both in terms of simplicity for the performer and the emphasis on tonality for the
audience. Hindemith was inspired by the composer-performer relationship and its
impact on the audience. Hindemith held that infusing simplicity and clarity
into his music allowed the composer and performer to shine,
which fostered a more enjoyable performance for the audience.
Hindemith’s writing of the Symphony for Band in B Flat in 1951
shows his prominence as a guest conductor in the United States.
Hindemith wrote it for the event of guest conducting the U.S. Army Band in Washington D.C.
Hindemith’s first guest conducting was his 1938 appearance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Surprisingly, Hindemith was not invited to conduct the prestigious New York Philharmonic until 1960;
however, upon this occasion he was inducted into the Philharmonic Society as an honorary member.
Hindemith was also highly influential as a music theory instructor.
Beginning in 1940, he taught at Yale University and in 1951 he taught at the University of Zurich.
Hindemith’s music was ground-breaking because it was not entirely atonal, but
rather contained judicious uses of dissonance. Hindemith was also innovative as
a composer because he purposefully made his music accessible and functional to
the general public.
and accessibility to the general public. His significant compositions include:
the song cycles Die junge Magd (1922) and Das Marienleben (1923)
Kleine Kammermusik for winds (1922)
the brief opera Hin und Zuruck (1927)
Mathis der Maler (1934)
Symphony for Band in B Flat (1951)
and numerous sonatas (such as the Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in 1940)
Die junge Magd and Das Marienleben
contain chromatic harmonies reminiscent of Viennese expressionism.
Hindemith infused humor and satire into his Kleine Kammermusik through dissonance.
Hin und Zuruck was a ten minute opera with contrapuntal aggressiveness and syncopation.
Hindemith’s music up to this point was innovative due to his free use of dissonance;
it would not be characterized as atonal.
Hindemith’s music after Hin und Zuruck, such as the incomplete opera Mathis der Maler,
emphasized simplicity and tonality.
Hindemith’s innovation through the accessibility of his music was referred to as Gebrauchsmusik,
or functional music. Gebrauchsmusik is considered music for general use.
This is most evident through his collection of instrumental sonatas.
These sonatas, which feature a wide variety of instrumental soloists, represent music for students.
They were accessible to the general public, both in terms of simplicity for the performer and the emphasis on tonality for the
audience. Hindemith was inspired by the composer-performer relationship and its
impact on the audience. Hindemith held that infusing simplicity and clarity
into his music allowed the composer and performer to shine,
which fostered a more enjoyable performance for the audience.
Hindemith’s writing of the Symphony for Band in B Flat in 1951
shows his prominence as a guest conductor in the United States.
Hindemith wrote it for the event of guest conducting the U.S. Army Band in Washington D.C.
Hindemith’s first guest conducting was his 1938 appearance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Surprisingly, Hindemith was not invited to conduct the prestigious New York Philharmonic until 1960;
however, upon this occasion he was inducted into the Philharmonic Society as an honorary member.
Hindemith was also highly influential as a music theory instructor.
Beginning in 1940, he taught at Yale University and in 1951 he taught at the University of Zurich.
Hindemith’s music was ground-breaking because it was not entirely atonal, but
rather contained judicious uses of dissonance. Hindemith was also innovative as
a composer because he purposefully made his music accessible and functional to
the general public.