Symphony: Mathis der Maler

The symphony Mathis der Maler is a 1934 Symphony premiered by Paul Hindemith, one of his most frequently performed works. It arose in connection with the work on the opera Mathis der Maler, which deals with the life of Matthias Grünewald. Hindemith wrote the three movements of the symphony before the completion of the self-written text book and developed it later in the opera. The symphony is almost a " sounding Triptych 'approach, converts music in the individual sets various motifs of the Isenheim altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald.

Orchestra and Duration

2 large flutes (2nd small flute), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in Bb, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion ( glockenspiel, triangle, cymbal, snare drum, Bass Drum ), strings

The performance period is shown in the score with 26 minutes. However, one conducted by Hindemith himself performance lasted about 27.5 minutes.

General Information on Music

The score has (such as Hindemith's music in general ) no sign. This makes the composer shows that he no longer operates within the traditional major-minor tonality, but practiced a free tonality based on the chromatic scale as a utility scale. Accordingly, he knows as key signatures not by way of example C major or C minor, but only C, which includes both as a special case. The theoretical foundations of his music Hindemith explained in his instruction in music theory and demonstrates its practical implementation in his Ludus tonalis.

In Hindemith's way from his early " Sturm und Drang period" to Neoclassicism marked the symphony Mathis der Maler " on the one hand an unmistakable departure from the experimental and provocative operations of the twenties and the other, the clear trend towards a 'great' and meaningful art music. "

The sentences

Angels concert

This sentence, which acts as an overture to the opera, consists of a slow introduction, followed by a faster part, the one, despite some deviations may be regarded as individual characteristics of a classical symphony main theorem.

The first ( beginning in pianissimo ) eight bars of the introduction ( Quiet moved 9/4-Takt, MM. Approximately 66) are determined by " essential " G- major triads of ( multi-split ) strings and a quiet design, the succession rises in the clarinets, oboes and flutes. Then is heard from the accompanying pianissimo movement of the strings " gently protruding " in the trombones standing in the Phrygian mode medieval song " Three angels sang ." The melody is taken up with a slight increase in dynamic ( mezzo piano) by the horns and repeated after a sharp crescendo brilliantly in the full orchestral sound, composed of a carillon of the trumpets and high woodwinds. The respective basic or final sounds in this three-time sounding are F, A and C # (Des ), so that additional to the dynamic increasing the pitch. After a decrescendo to pianissimo through to the opening passage repeated in a modified form: The roles of woodwinds and strings are reversed and instead of now the G major sound -flat major chords.

The subsequent main clause ( Pretty lively Halbe, 2/2-Takt, MM 108-112 ) is in the exposition (in reference to the three angels of the song ) three themes before. The already interspersed with rich motivic- thematic work exposure fades away with three delicate B major chords before ( clearly separated by a double line in the score ) begins conducting a hands- Quote of the head motif of the first theme. This is processed in sequence along with the second theme varied and imitative counterpoint, although the third theme is omitted. Set approximately in the middle of performing after a short break, the General Trombones with the melody of the angel - song, which is repeated like in the introduction of the horns and trumpets. In the woodwinds during which resound parts of the first and second subjects, the higher strings play around with lively eighth figures. This time, the dynamic increase of Mezzo Forte goes to fortissimo. On these peak followed by a over 23 bars long, drawn- calming process that is disputed by the first issue, so one might think, already being in the recapitulation. This impression is however corrected when after the decay of this passage, clearly separated ( In Hauptzeitmaß ), the actual recapitulation with the ( recessed in the implementation ) third theme begins, while the other two topics appear until later. The movement ends fortissimo with weighty cadential chords that lead to a sustained G- major triad.

Entombment

This sentence ( Very slowly, 4/4-time, MM about 54 ) has Hindemith inserted as an interlude in the last picture of the opera. It's " funeral music from Streicherdeklamationen and Bläserkantilenen ". Heinrich Strobel writes: " All the forces of simplification appear as concentrated in building a powerful melodic line from a single subject and from that dotted rhythm which finally relaxes. " This final relaxation in a two-time quiet sharp major chord is (bars 41-42 of total 45 cycles ) three times ( mf, p, pp, each with decrescendo ) erklingendes sighing motif requires that its extremely dissonant harmonization ( with receives a very intense painful - mystical effect six to siebentönigen chords ). Also worth mentioning is a very striking event towards the end of the second set third. After a zehntaktigen increase Passage to Fortissmo heard on the first quarter clock 33 (approx. played by half the band) the bare fifth Fis - Cis, on the second quarter (underlined by a cymbal crash ) from the rest of the orchestra " radiant " to a F-sharp major triad is completed. Obviously, the composer wanted to open here about the grief beyond a view of heavenly glory.

Temptation of St. Anthony

This sentence, which is the longest of the symphony and is used in the opera in the sixth scene, Hindemith represents the score that a motto: " Ubi eras, bone of Jesus ubi eras, quare non affuisti ut sanares vulnera mea" The issue is accordingly this set of inhomogeneous and bizarre than the others. He starts brooding - rhapsodic ( Very slow, free in tempo, 4/4-time without metronome ) with a unison recitation of the strings, pressing rhythmically accelerating and moving toward a scandal over trills and Doppelpunktierungen: a sharp dissonance chord fortissimo which reverberates in a swirl of timpani, snare drum and cymbals. After a modified repetition of this process ( Very lively, 9/8-Takt, about 176 ) is followed by a section which is characterized by rushed galloping rhythms and a highly chromatic melody. This section culminates in a multiple repeated motif, which in the opera, the words " We afflict you" are highlighted. With a trill of the first violins in the highest register a new part (slow, about 60 ) begins. Quiet and melodious " beguiling " melodies apparently indicate that the demons take the form of female seduction here. After this episode sets ( Lively, 2/4-cycle, about 144 ) again the "plague motif " a distorted syncopation and first piano. Later there will be several, each newly accreting increases. Toward the end, battles against the " infernal " chromaticism of the demons the diatonic melody of the sequence Lauda Sion Salvatorem before the movement with that of the brass (according to score with all the force ) intoned Alleluia chant ends.

Reception

The symphony was premiered on March 12, 1934 in the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Wilhelm Furtwängler. " The success with the public was overwhelming ." Further performances in Duisburg, Sao Paulo, Scheveningen followed. In radio she was in the kingdom of transmitters Hamburg, Munich, Cologne and Leipzig, as well as to hear the Germany radio stations and London. The success of the symphony and her music style would have been really pleased to Hindemith from the bone and attached stigma of " Kulturbolschewisten " to liberate and to make him the " coming kingdom of musical genius ." Fred K. Prieberg writes: "At this point, in the summer and fall of 1934, would Hindemith - forget and forgive the sins of youth - become a hair of the official, spoiled, entrusted with music political functions, Sir by highly paid jobs composer for the Hitler state. " Although Hindemith in the camps of the Nazis certainly advocate had ( the HJ and initially Goebbels were for him ), led a sustained press campaign under the auspices of Alfred Rosenberg, the Hindemith " meanest perversion of German music " criticizing it for one of Hitler personally sanctioned performance boycott of his works. Hartmut Lück commented on this as follows: " That just Hindemith should be excluded from the" German music " is one of the most grotesque phenomena in the mind anyway not poor Nazi music policy. Because hardly anyone would have been more appropriate to represent the modern music of Germany on a substantial and representative manner. "

Furthermore, to see Mathis der Maler: reception history