Hindemith, Paul 1895 - 1963
Author: Chiba, Yutaka
Last updated：July 13, 2021
Author: Chiba, Yutaka
Author : Asayama, Natsuko
Last Updated: May 1, 2007
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Author : Asayama, Natsuko
German composer, violinist, and conductor. He began his career early as a violinist, and after entering the conservatory, he studied piano, clarinet, and other instruments, demonstrating talent in playing various instruments. During his service in World War I, he was part of a military band and even organized string quartet concerts.
As a composer, he also established his reputation at a young age. In his early period, he particularly studied Brahms extensively, but he grew increasingly opposed to Romanticism and Expressionism, later gravitating towards Neo-Baroque and Neoclassicism. In an era where functional harmony and tonality were disintegrating, Hindemith sought to restore order and objectivity to music. These efforts culminated in his writings on composition and harmony (some of which have been translated into Japanese). His statement, "As long as music exists, it will start from and return to the major triad" (from The Craft of Musical Composition), strongly criticizes atonal music.
As a native German, he was initially not a target of Nazi purges, but Hindemith made no secret of his criticism of the Nazis, and in 1934, performances of his works were banned. (Furtwängler protested this by contributing to newspapers and was subsequently removed from his position as music director in Berlin.) Hindemith himself was ordered to take a "leave of absence" from his professorship at the Berlin University of the Arts in 1935, and eventually, in 1937, he left Germany of his own accord. After the war, he became an American citizen and never returned to Germany by his own will.
Works(20)
Concerto (3)
Chamber music (1)
Konzertmusik für Klavier, Blechblaser und 2 Harfen Op.49
Composed in: 1930 Playing time: 15 min 30 sec
Piano Solo (4)
sonata (4)
pieces (5)
Various works (1)
Ludus tonalis - Kontrapunktische, tonale und klaviertechnische 6Uum;bungen
Composed in: 1942 Playing time: 52 min 40 sec
Piano Ensemble (2)
Various works (2)
Chamber Music (1)
sonata (2)