(''Chamber Music'') is the title for eight
chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...
compositions by
Paul Hindemith. He wrote them, each in several
movements, during the 1920s. They
are grouped in three
opus numbers: Op. 24, Op. 36 and Op. 46. Six of these works, ''Kammermusik'' Nos. 2–7, are not what is normally considered
chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...
– music for a few players with equally important parts such as a
wind quintet – but rather
concerto
A concerto (; plural ''concertos'', or ''concerti'' from the Italian plural) is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The typi ...
s for a soloist and chamber orchestra. They are concertos for piano, cello, violin, viola, viola d'amore and organ. The works, for different ensembles, were premiered at different locations and times. The composer was the soloist in the premiere of the
viola concertos, while his brother
Rudolf Hindemith was the soloist in the premiere of the
cello concerto A cello concerto (sometimes called a violoncello concerto) is a concerto for solo cello with orchestra or, very occasionally, smaller groups of instruments.
These pieces have been written since the Baroque era if not earlier. However, unlike instru ...
. is reminiscent of Bach's ''
Brandenburg Concertos
The ''Brandenburg Concertos'' by Johann Sebastian Bach (Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, BWV 1046–1051), are a collection of six instrumental works presented by Bach to Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt, Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg ...
'', also concertos for different solo and orchestra instruments, and in a neo-Bachian spirit of structure,
polyphony and stability of motion.
Background
Between 1921 and 1927, the majority of Germany's composers were writing nationalistic music, as Germany was recovering from
World War I. Many Germans were shocked by the
Armistice, and one particular soldier,
Adolf Hitler, blamed it on Germany's lack of cultural unity.
Over the course of his rise to political power, he repeatedly brought this up, with an emphasis on
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
, a composer whom he believed to be representative of true German culture.
Hindemith was not among the composers writing for the cause of cultural unification; his works were largely exploratory of the
wind medium.
Throughout his ''Kammermusik'', he repeatedly used wind instruments. He utilized wind instruments in both works from Op. 24, with ''Kleine Kammermusik'', Op. 24, No. 2, being a
wind quintet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon. This work was experimenting with jazz and looking towards his colleague and friend
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...
,
who coincidentally also explored jazz with his ''
Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet'' (1918). Its third movement was the result of a letter he received from an American composer describing jazz. In Hindemith's ''Kleine Kammermusik'', Op. 24, No. 2, the composer alludes to Stravinsky by utilizing repeated patterns, similar to repetitive patterns in a groove-like rhythm in that movement. Hindemith references jazz in movement titles such as "Shimmy" and "Ragtime".
The exploration of jazz by both Stravinsky and Hindemith reflects
Ravel's practice of using
Basque dance music. This work in particular would go on to become a staple in the wind quintet literature.
The six concertos of have been compared to Bach's ''
Brandenburg Concertos
The ''Brandenburg Concertos'' by Johann Sebastian Bach (Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, BWV 1046–1051), are a collection of six instrumental works presented by Bach to Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt, Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg ...
''. Hindemith pursued
polyphony and a "Baroque stability of motion" as neo-Bachian elements, in a "post-war reaction against the twin emotional excesses of Romanticism and Expressionism".
Some musicologists and performers count only the numbered works as Hindemith's ''Kammermusiken'', excluding the wind quintet.
Overview
Hindemith's Op. 24 consists of two works. The first, Op. 24, No. 1, was composed for a 13-piece orchestra. The second, , Op. 24, No. 2, was for wind quintet.
Like Op. 24, Hindemith's Op. 36 also consists of multiple works, Nos. 2–5. These would be named in the order of , the number within the set, the opus number, and then the number within the opus number. For example, No. 3, Op. 36, No. 2 would be the third in the overall set, is included within Op. 36, and is the second piece within Op. 36. All eight works with the exception of , Op. 24, No. 2 follow this format.
Table of ''Kammermusiken''
In the table, the first column shows the title, the second the
opus number (Op.), the third the number within the opus (No.), the fourth the type of composition, the fifth the number of movements if not 4 (M), and the sixth year and place of the premiere.
Compositions
''Kammermusik'' No. 1
No. 1, Op. 24, No. 1 was composed in 1922, set for flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, accordion, piano, string quintet and percussion. It is structured in four movements:
It is dedicated to the Prince of Fürstenberg, "Dedicated to His Highness the Prince of Fürstenberg".
The composition was premiered in
Donaueschingen
Donaueschingen (; Low Alemannic: ''Eschinge'') is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar '' Kreis''. It stands near the confluence of the two sources of the river Da ...
on 31 July 1922 as part of the second Donaueschingen Chamber Music Festival, conducted by
Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen (21 June 1891 – 12 June 1966) was a German conductor.
Life
Scherchen was born in Berlin. Originally a violist, he played among the violas of the Bluthner Orchestra of Berlin while still in his teens. He conducted in Riga ...
.
After the premiere, Hindemith was stamped "the badboy" of the music of the 1920s.
A reviewer wrote: "We've reached it at last! Modern German music has finally managed to embrace today's lifestyle having its fling at its most frivolous and vulgar. The man who brought about this wonder is the composer Paul Hindemith in his Kammermusik op. 24/1. One is confronted with a kind of music the likes of which no German composer with an artistic attitude has ever even dared think about, let alone write, music of a lewdness and frivolity only possible for a very special kind of composer."
''Kleine Kammermusik''
(''Small Chamber Music''
or ''Little Chamber Music''
), Op. 24, No. 2, was composed in 1922 for
wind quintet.
It is structured in five movements:
Hindemith composed the work for the Frankfurter Bläser-Kammermusikvereinigung (Frankfurt Wind Chamber Music Association), one of the first wind ensembles in Germany, and dedicated it to them.
He took some material from the earlier work, ''Kammermusik'' No. 1, compared to which this was named ''Kleine''.
The music was premiered in Cologne on 13 June 1922 as part of the second Rheinisches Kammermusikfest (Rhenish Chamber Music Festival) by the Frankfurter Bläser-Kammermusikvereinigung.
The duration is given by the publisher
Schott as 13 minutes.
''Kammermusik'' No. 2
No. 2, Op. 36, No. 1, was composed in 1924 as a chamber
piano concerto
A piano concerto is a type of concerto, a solo composition in the classical music genre which is composed for a piano player, which is typically accompanied by an orchestra or other large ensemble. Piano concertos are typically virtuoso showpiec ...
, for piano and 12 instruments. The title on the composer's score is ''Kammermusik II (Klavierkonzert)''. It is structured in four movements:
The piano part is not in the tradition of virtuoso pianism, but returns to mostly two-part writing, similar to Bach's ''Inventions''. It is an early work in neo-Bachian style.
The work is dedicated to the pianist who was soloist in the premiere: "For Emma Lübbecke-Job".
It was premiered in Frankfurt on 31 October 1924, with the
Frankfurter Museumsorchester conducted by
Clemens Krauss.
''Kammermusik'' No. 3
No. 3, Op. 36, No. 2, was written in 1925, like a
cello concerto A cello concerto (sometimes called a violoncello concerto) is a concerto for solo cello with orchestra or, very occasionally, smaller groups of instruments.
These pieces have been written since the Baroque era if not earlier. However, unlike instru ...
for cello and ten instruments. The title of Hindemith's score reads: ''Paul Hindemith op 36 II / Kammermusik No III / für obligates Violoncello und zehn Soloinstrumente''. It is structured in four movements:
It is dedicated: "For Elsa and Willi Hof".
It was premiered in
Bochum
Bochum ( , also , ; wep, Baukem) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 364,920 (2016), is the sixth largest city (after Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg) of the most populous Germany, German federal state o ...
on 30 April 1925 by members of the municipal orchestra (
Städtisches Orchester Bochum
The Bochumer Symphoniker is a German orchestra based in Bochum. Its primary residence is the Anneliese Brost Musikforum Ruhr.
History
The orchestra was founded in 1918 originally as the Städtisches Orchester Bochum , at the same time as the Boc ...
), conducted by the composer, with his brother
Rudolf Hindemith as the cellist.
''Kammermusik'' No. 4
No. 4, Op. 36, No. 3, was written in 1925, like a
violin concerto for violin and a larger chamber orchestra. The title of Hindemith's score reads ''Paul Hindemith Op 36 3 , Kammermusik No IV , für Solo-Violine und grösseres Kammerorchester''.
It is structured in five movements:
Hindemith wrote in his catalogue that he enjoyed writing this work very much. He scored it for extreme registers, high
piccolo flutes and low
contrabassoon
The contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower. Its technique is similar to its smaller cousin, with a few notable differences.
Differences from the bassoon
The reed is consi ...
,
bass tuba and four
double basses, for a piercing tutti sound.
The music is dedicated: "Yashnykneshpeff for a dear lion's birthday" ("Yashnykneshpeff für eines lieben Löwen Geburtstag").
It was premiered in
Dessau
Dessau is a town and former municipality in Germany at the confluence of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the '' Bundesland'' (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it has been part of the newly created municipality of Dessau-Roßlau ...
on 17 September 1925 for the opening concert of the concert series of the Friedrich Theatre, conducted by Franz von Hoesslin, with violinist
Licco Amar as the soloist.
''Kammermusik'' No. 5
No. 5, Op. 36, No. 4, was composed in 1925, like a
viola concerto for viola and larger chamber orchestra ("für Solo-Bratsche und größeres Kammerorchester (Bratschenkonzert)"). It is structured in four movements:
The work is regarded as one of the most difficult viola concertos.
The orchestra is formed by several wind instruments, and only cellos and double basses for strings, probably to grant the viola dominance.
The last movement, named "variant of a military march" is based on the Bavarian Defilers' March which the viola "brings out of step".
The concerto is dedicated to
Arnold Mendelssohn
Bust of Arnold Mendelssohn, at the Holy Trinity Community Cemetery, Berlin
Arnold Ludwig Mendelssohn (26 December 1855 – 18 February 1933), was a German composer and music teacher.
He was born in Ratibor, Province of Silesia; the son of Feli ...
("Herrn Professor Arnold Mendelssohn gewidmet").
Mendelssohn, the son of cousin of
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sy ...
, was his teacher at the
Musikhochschule Frankfurt
The Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (german: Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main, italic=no, link=no, HfMDK) is a state Hochschule for music, theatre and dance in Frankfurt and is the only one of its k ...
.
It was premiered at the
Kroll Opera House in Berlin on 3 November 1927 by the
Staatskapelle Berlin, conducted by
Otto Klemperer, with the composer as the viola soloist.
''Kammermusik'' No. 6
No. 6, Op. 46, No. 1, was written in 1927 as a concerto for
viola d'amore and chamber orchestra ("für Viola d'amore und Kammerorchester (Viola d'amore-Konzert)"). It is structured in four movements:
The work bears no dedication.
It was premiered in Cologne on 29 March 1928 by members of the municipal orchestra of Frankfurt (
Städtisches Orchester Frankfurt
The Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester ''(Frankfurt Opera House and Museum's Orchestra)'' is the resident orchestra of the Oper Frankfurt. Its somewhat peculiar name is derived from the series of "Museum Concerts", organized by the Frankfurte ...
), conducted by
Ludwig Rottenberg
Ludwig Rottenberg (11 October 1865 – 6 May 1932) was an Austrian/German composer and conductor.
Biography
Rottenberg came from a German-speaking Jewish family in Czernowitz, the then-capital of Bukovina, which at the time was part of the Aust ...
, and the composer as the viola d'amore soloist.
Reviewer
Theodor W. Adorno noted then: "At times in the slow parts there are passages of a great, mournfully sad stillness, just like the mood in the evening on the edge of a large city".
Hindemith revised the work with a less difficult solo part in 1929.
''Kammermusik'' No. 7
No. 7, Op. 46, No. 2, was composed in 1927 as a concerto for
organ
Organ may refer to:
Biology
* Organ (biology), a part of an organism
Musical instruments
* Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone
** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument
** Hammond ...
and chamber orchestra ("für Orgel und Kammerorchester (Orgelkonzert)"). It is structured in three movements:
It is dedicated to the
Frankfurt radio station ("Dem Frankfurter Sender gewidmet").
It was premiered in Frankfurt on 1 August 1928, conducted by Rottenberg, with Reinhold Merten as the organ soloist.
References
Further reading
* Haack, Helmut. 1977. "Die Doppelbedeutung des Terminus Kammermusik bei Hindemith". In ''Colloquium Musica cameralis Brno 1971'', edited by Rudolf Pečman, 231–237. Colloquia on the History and Theory of Music at the International Music Festival in Brno, No. 6. Brno: Mezinárodní Hudební Festival.
* Heidenreich, Achim. 1999. "Zur Entstehung von Paul Hindemiths Kammermusiken Nr. 1–7". In ''Paul Hindemith: Komponist zwischen Tradition und Avantgarde—10 Studien'' edited by Norbert Bolin, 64–72. Kölner Schriften zur neuen Musik 7. Mainz: Schott Musik International. .
* Kohlhase, Hans. 1983. "Aussermusikalische Tendenzen im Frühschaffen Paul Hindemiths: Versuch über die ''Kammermusik Nr. 1'' mit ''Finale 1921''". ''Hamburger Jahrbuch für Musikwissenschaft'' 6:183–223.
*
Motte, Diether de la. 1977. "Paul Hindemith neu gehört". ''Hindemith-Jahrbuch/Annales Hindemith'' 6.
*
Rexroth, Dieter. 1977. "Zu den 'Kammermusiken' von Paul Hindemith". ''Hindemith-Jahrbuch/Annales Hindemith'' 6:47–64.
* Schaal, Susanne. 1996. "Paul Hindemith: ''Kammermusik Nr. 5'' for Viola and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 36, No. 4, 1927". In ''Canto d'amore: Classicism in Modern Art and Music, 1914–1935'', edited by
Ulrich Mosch, Gottfried Boehm, and Katharina Schmidt, 343–345. Basel: Paul Sacher Stiftung. .
*
Unverricht, Hubert. 1983. ''Kammermusik im 20. Jahrhundert. Zum Bedeutungswandel des Begriffs''. Munich: Minerva.
*
Wolff, Hellmuth Christian. 1977. "Die Kammermusik Paul Hindemiths". In ''Colloquium Musica cameralis Brno 1971'', edited by Rudolf Pečman, 435–446. Colloquia on the History and Theory of Music at the International Music Festival in Brno, No. 6. Brno: Mezinárodní Hudební Festival.
External links
*
* Andy Brandt
Paul Hindemith and Kleine Kammermusic, Op. 24, No. 2woodwind5.com 2016
* ,
Claudio Abbado,
Berlin Philharmonic
{{Paul Hindemith
Chamber music compositions
Compositions by Paul Hindemith
Concertos
Compositions for wind quintet
Cycles (music)
Music with dedications
1922 compositions
1924 compositions
1925 compositions
1927 compositions
Stefan Zweig Collection