Hindemith Rediscovered

[TonyZ]

Hello, all

I've been gearing up for my recital, {check the calendar, October 28} and I am preparing the Sonate. It's been about 19 years since I last performed it, so I started from scratch with a clean copy and dug back in. I have listened to umpteen recordings, worked on it with my students, and heard many performances, but I cannot tell you how much difference the 20 years has made in my musical perception of the piece. When I was young, it was all about copying Bobo, but there is a TON of great music in that piece just dying to get out. Someone told me a long time ago that you need to be at least 40 to have had enough life experience to understand this music. There may be some truth to that! Many say that that work is one of his "work-a-day" pieces, simply written for the Yale students to play, but when you dig in, there is so much more. The 3rd movement quasi-cadenza is really quite gorgeous, and the dancing nature of the whole work is really extraordinary. No "gebrauchmusik" this! One of my colleagues asked, "It's not audience friendly, who wants to hear Hindemith?" My response was that they MUST hear this piece. Yes, we need new music, but not at the expense of the old!

Have fun learning!

[Mark E. Chachich]

I agree! The Hindemith Sonate is one of my favorites to play and to listen. Also, enjoy your recital!

best,
Mark