''Trauermusik'' is a

suite Suite may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Suite (music), a set of musical pieces considered as one composition ** Suite (Bach), a list of suites composed by J. S. Bach ** Suite (Cassadó), a mid-1920s composition by Gaspar Cassadó ** ''Suite' ...

for

viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

and string orchestra, written on 21 January 1936 by

Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith (; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advocate of the ''Ne ...

at very short notice in memory of

King George V of the United Kingdom George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

, who died the previous night. The title means "Mourning Music" or "Funeral Music" in English, but the work is always known by its German title.

Background

On 19 January 1936,

travelled to

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, intending to play his viola concerto ''

Der Schwanendreher Paul Hindemith's ''Der Schwanendreher'' (literally, "The Swan Turner") is a concerto for viola and orchestra. ''Der Schwanendreher'' occupies a place at the core of the viola concerto repertoire, along with the concertos by Walton and Bartók. It ...

'', with

Adrian Boult Sir Adrian Cedric Boult, CH (; 8 April 1889 – 22 February 1983) was an English conductor. Brought up in a prosperous mercantile family, he followed musical studies in England and at Leipzig, Germany, with early conducting work in London ...

and the BBC Symphony Orchestra in Queen's Hall, on 22 January. This was to be the British premiere of the work. However, just before midnight on 20 January,

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

died. The concert was cancelled, but Boult and the BBC music producer Edward Clark still wanted Hindemith's involvement in any music that was broadcast in its place. They debated for hours what might be a suitable piece, but nothing could be found, so it was decided that Hindemith should write something new.Hindemith's letter of 23 January 1936 to Willy Strecker, in ''Paul Hindemith: Selected Letters''
/ref> The following day, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Hindemith sat in an office made available to him by the BBC and wrote ''Trauermusik'' in homage to the late king. It was written for viola and string orchestra (''Der Schwanendreher'' employs a larger complement that includes woodwinds). ''Trauermusik'' was performed that evening in a live broadcast from a BBC radio studio, with Boult conducting and the composer as soloist.

The music

''Trauermusik'' consists of four very short movements. The first movement is marked ''Langsam''. The second movement (''Ruhig bewegt'') is less than a minute in length and the third is only slightly longer. The last movement is the heart of the work and in it, Hindemith quotes the chorale "Vor deinen Thron tret' ich hiermit" ("Here I stand before Thy throne"), well known in Germany via the harmonisation by

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

. Hindemith was unaware at the time, but the tune was very familiar in England as the "

Old 100th "Old 100th" or "Old Hundredth" (also known as "Old Hundred") is a hymn tune in long metre, from the second edition of the Genevan Psalter. It is one of the best known melodies in many occidental Christian musical traditions. The tune is usually a ...

", to the words "All people that on Earth do dwell". The piece also contains

quotations A quotation is the repetition of a sentence, phrase, or passage from speech or text that someone has said or written. In oral speech, it is the representation of an utterance (i.e. of something that a speaker actually said) that is introduced by ...

from '' Symphony: Mathis der Maler'' and ''Der Schwanendreher''. ''Trauermusik'' immediately entered the repertoire of violists, as well as

cellists A person who plays the cello is called a cellist. This list of notable cellists is divided into four categories: 1) Living Classical Cellists; 2) Non-Classical Cellists; 3) Deceased Classical Cellists; 4) Deceased Non-Classical Cellists. The ce ...

and even

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

ists. The Swiss philanthropist and music patron

Werner Reinhart Werner Reinhart (19 March 1884 – 29 August 1951) was a Swiss merchant, philanthropist, amateur clarinetist, and patron of composers and writers, particularly Igor Stravinsky and Rainer Maria Rilke. Reinhart knew and corresponded with many artist ...

, to whom Hindemith had dedicated his Clarinet Quintet in 1923,Paul Hindemith summary
later told Gertrud Hindemith "there was something Mozartian" about her husband's writing ''Trauermusik'' in half a day, and premiering it the same day. "I know no one else today who could do that", he said.

References

External links

* Michael Steinberg
‘’The Concerto’’

*Stevenson, Joseph. "Trauermusik" ''AllMusic.com''. {{Authority control Compositions for viola and orchestra Compositions by Paul Hindemith 1936 compositions Orchestral suites Funerary and memorial compositions Cultural depictions of George V