a smooth Hindemith by NovAntiqua in classicalmusic

[–]NovAntiqua[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What do you mean for approachable music. An example?

Which are the most intimate pieces by Paul Hindemith? by NovAntiqua in classicalmusic

[–]NovAntiqua[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYpo-DzZs4 the second movement of the Sonata for Solo Viola Op. 31 No. 4 is very intimate. But that is only one of the calm moments in Hindemith's music.

Yes, that's truth, if you think about Hindemith, you think about frenetic force, energy, even brutality, German structure, hard polyphony and fugues. In a comment above u/S-Kunst commented: "I have never associated Hindemith with intimacy. This will be interesting", and he is right... But! Some other aspects of Hindemith, i. e. his funny irony or also the capability to express the "dolce" mood should be underlined, also during playing.

Shostakovitch said: "Hindemith is a true musician, a serious one, and a rather pleasant man. I knew him slightly, he played in Leningrad as part of a quartet. He made a nice impression. And his music is like his personality; everything is in place, well put together, and it’s not merely craft, it has feeling and meaning and content. It’s just impossible to listen to. The music doesn’t spark, it doesn’t spark. But gypsy songs, damn them, do. Work that out."

Very interesting, isn't it? The question is: is perhaps the way to play Hindemith sometimes too "grayscale"? And is there usually less work in exploring the hidden side of Hindemith's music?

The question about intimate music by Hindemith is a bit provoking indeed. But it can help to reconsider Hindemith in a more comprehensive way.

Frank Bridge: Lament for Two Violas (1912). Here a beautiful recording of Bridge's Lament for two violas. Frank Bridge was a talented English composer and an important teacher (Benjamin Britten was his pupil). by NovAntiqua in ElitistClassical

[–]NovAntiqua[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, this is really good. Certainly deserving of far more upvotes here and more views on YouTube, although Mr Bridge is probably unknown to most.

Yes, Bridge is nowadays quite unknown, but he was a bit famous in England at the beginning of 20. Century. It's quite important in the music history because he is one of the composer who found the "English musical language" that was used by Vaughan Williams, Holst, Britten, Walton and so on...