Hindemith: Mathis der Maler Symphony / Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber / Nobilissima visone Suite ~ Sawallisch
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Music CD Cover
Composer: Paul HindemithConductor: Wolfgang Sawallisch
Orchestra: Philadelphia Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1995-06-13
Music Label: EMI Classics
Soundtracks:
- Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber, for orchestra: No. 1, Allegro
- Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber, for orchestra: No. 2, Turandot (Scherzo)
- Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber, for orchestra: No. 3, Andantino
- Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber, for orchestra: No. 4, Marsch
- Nobilissima visione, ballet suite for orchestra
- Nobilissima visione, ballet suite for orchestra
- Nobilissima visione, ballet suite for orchestra
- Nobilissima visione, ballet suite for orchestra
- Mathis der Maler, symphony (from opera): No. 1, 'Angelic Concert' (inspired by painting for Isenheim Altar)
- Mathis der Maler, symphony (from opera): No. 2, 'Entombment' (inspired by painting of interment of Jesus)
- Mathis der Maler, symphony (from opera): No. 3, 'Temptation of Saint Anthony'
Free Music Notes for Hindemith: Mathis der Maler Symphony / Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber / Nobilissima visone Suite ~ Sawallisch
Free Music Review: Good Hindemith fare
Hit: 5 Stars
This disk features three of the most popular symphonic works by the German composer Paul Hindemith: Mathis der Maler Symphony, Nobilissima Visione Suite, and the Symphonic Metamorphoses of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber. The first on the CD is the Symphonic Metamorphoses, an orchestrated reworking of Carl Maria von Weber's piano duets. The first of four movements is a witty allegro featuring a rugged opening, leading into a calm middle with great parts for winds, including contrabassoon, and ending the movement with brilliant full orchestration. The second movement is a scherzo based on Weber's Turandot overture, a robust march theme eventually giving way to a brassy (and somewhat jazzy) fugue, which builds into a glorious ending complete with pealing chimes. The andantino movement is of a more lyrical nature, again favoring the woodwind section, with occasional orchestral burblings and climaxes taken over by the strings. The final march, famous in its own right, opens with the famous brass motive, moving into a snappy minor march, almost conjuring thoughts of Russian militaristic themes. A more optimistic brass fanfare occurs with constantly moving orchestral voices and the movement progresses between the two ideas, eventually ending with the opening motive on the positive. Carl Maria von Weber's melodies are catchy and engaging, while Hindemith's treatments are highly imaginative and interesting. A great introduction to Hindemith's music.
The Nobilissima Visione Suite is music from a ballet on the theme of Saint Francis of Assisi. The music is more in the spiritual realm and certainly more representative of Hindemith's "sound". In three movements, the suite begins with the Introduction and Rondo, a slow introduction with strings and clarinet yields to a faster rondo with flute solo. The movement is telling of Francis' first receiving his calling. The following movement, March and Pastorale, tells of St. Francis' joining the army only to find the inhumanity of it all, a reference to Hindemith's own Nazi Germany. The opening piccolo and side drum show the militaristic, but eventually leads into an angular and disturbed jig. The movement ends peacefully with strings, oboe, and flute. The third and last movement is a passacaglia (a form where a motive repeats again and again, usually in a lower voice, like a theme and variations). The melody at first does not seem a great one, but is grows on you as the movement builds. It is from the ballet's finale when St. Francis suffers from stigmata two years before his death. A solid and stalwart tribute to a man of great faith. The music of the suite is a bit more advanced and dissonant than the Symphonic Metamorphoses, still a great work.
Hindemith's great masterpiece, Mathis der Maler Symphony, is also in three movements and taken from an opera he wrote. Again, exhibiting more advanced harmonies, Hindemith shines, however, in clever and radiant melodies. The opening movement entitled Chorus of Angels opens with thick chords over a drone of sorts, but works its way into an upbeat, happy little tune used throughout the movement. Hindemith employs fugue as well as combining the old and the new, and puts his theme through the ringer; Hindemith at his most sunny. The work becomes much more serious with the second movement, The Entombment of Jesus, which sounds to me like a solemn procession. The last 12 bars or so are the most intimate, and an ending of unusual peace and calm. The final movement is the Temptations of the hermit Saint Antony, the most diverse music we have heard thus far from Hindemith. He puts the listener through the trials and ends with the famous brass chorale into a rousing finale.
The Philadelphia Orchestra under Wolfgang Sawallisch (a pre-eminent Richard Strauss interpreter) give a new take on the music, but there is no sluggish late romanticism from Sawallisch here. Not only do all the musical voices speak well here, Sawallisch gets the most from the score and his musicians; the orchestra is on all the time and gives a brusque performance. These three works are a great representative of Hindemith's popular orchestral works, and while you can find them elsewhere (Naxos, Telarc, Bernstein on DG), I have found this disk to be a fresh look at some old favorites.
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