I have to admit, I was never that fond of Hindemith and I still feel unmoved by many of his works, but this is certainly a pleasant exception. Normally my complaint towards him is his reluctance to coherently tie his moments of beauty together, but here the piece can be listened to in practically a single breath, so cohesive and seamlessly flowing it is.
The way the two halves of the third movement fit together blew my mind when I first discovered this piece and continues to amaze me every hearing. Sadly neglected!
Hindemith does something similar to spectacular effect in the 2nd movement of the Symphony in B-flat. Two contrasting sections superimposed in the third section.
1. Moderately Fast (0:00) 2. Geschwindmarsch by Beethoven: Paraphrase (Wind instruments only) Rather fast (9:28) 3. Colloquy: String Orchestra in Two Sections: Quiet (12:53) 4. Finale: Gay (21:30) Great description by the way, you have a new sub :)
Opera esemplare di quel ribollente periodo detto neoclassicismo!!... Eppure, nonostante i molti meriti di questi artisti e di questa stagione, rimango sinceramente dispiaciuto nel non riuscir mai a trovare, al fondo di queste elaborate prove, un sentimento potente come avviene negli espressionisti (anche di seconda o terza generazione) o nei contemporanei russi (neoclassici anche loro?)...
