Also, Nusch-Nuschi Tanze; Sancta Susanna, Op 21. Ausrine Stundyte, soprano; Renöe Morloc, contralto; Annette Schönmüller, mezzo-soprano; Caroline Baas, female voice; Enzo Brumm; male voice; Women of the Wiener Singakadamie (Chorus Master, Heinz Ferlesch); Marin Alsop, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Naxos 8.574283.
By Karl W. Nehring
When asked to name some of our favorite symphonies, most of us will immediately begin to think of symphonies by the “usual suspects” such as Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Mahler, Sibelius, Bruckner, or perhaps Vaughan Williams. Well, those gentlemen would certainly figure on my list as well, but my list would also include a symphony by a composer who is seldom thought of as a symphonic composer, the German composer Paul Hindemith (1895-1963). His three-movement Symphony ‘Mathis der Maler’ (Mathis the Painter) has long been one of my favorites, now available here in a newly released Naxos recording led by the gifted American conductor Marin Alsop.
For those unfamiliar with this symphony, Hindemith started composing it in 1933 and completed in 1934. He had in mind composing an opera based on the life of the painter Mathias Grunewald (1470-1528), but decided to begin with a symphony, figuring he would later incorporate some of the music into the opera, which he completed in 1935. The cover of the CD booklet features a reproduction of some of the paintings by Grunewald that inspired Hindemith. They are part of an elaborate construction of panels behind the altar at a church in Isenheim, Germany. Various scenes are revealed as the panels are unfolded and from these scenes, Hindemith chose three to represent musically. The three movements are titled Engelkonzert (Angelic Concert), Grablegung (Entombment); Versuchung des heiligen Antonius (The Temptation of Saint Anthony). You might expect a concert of angels to sound gentle and ethereal, but Hindemith endows these angels with energy and luminosity befitting the celestial realm, and Alsop does a fine job of making the orchestra sing. As you might well imagine from the title, the second movement is much more somber in tone. It is not maudlin, however, as there are reflective passages and dramatic passages, leading without pause into the more dramatic third movement, with Alsop getting the orchestra to play with both precision and power. This is truly an excellent performance.
Music lovers who are already Hindemith fans probably already have a favorite recording of Mathis. For example, my favorite has long been the Blomstedt/San Francisco Symphony Orchestra recording, which, when in comparison to this new Naxos, presents a more powerful, vivid sound (the SFSO brass in particular way outshine their European counterparts) and a more energetic performance overall. Nevertheless, there are a couple of points to ponder regarding this new Naxos release. First, Alsop’s performance of Mathis really is pretty darned good, and certainly worthy of audition. Second, and perhaps more compelling, Naxos has included a couple of relatively unusual disc-mates that are more likely than not compositions you have not heard before. First up on the program is a brief (10:03) trio of dances that Hindemith extracted from his one-act opera Das Nusch-Nuschi (1921). Admittedly, there is nothing really profound in these brief pieces, but they are lively and entertaining, well worth a listen. Next up is the one-act opera Sancta Susanna, the libretto of which is included in the liner notes. It is a dramatic piece, with plenty of high-powered singing. The music is interesting, but the sheer intensity of the piece may not lend itself well to repeated listening. Music lovers with more fondness for opera might disagree. In any event, it is certainly well played, well sung, and decenly recorded. Kudos to Naxos for releasing such an interesting program and putting forth the effort to include informative liner notes, props to the engineering team for capturing the large-scale forces in full-range, believable stereo sound, and bravo to Marin Alsop and the orchestra, chorus, and soloists for their fine performances of Hindemith’s music.
KWN
To listen to a brief excerpt from this album, click below:
By Karl W. Nehring
For those unfamiliar with this symphony, Hindemith started composing it in 1933 and completed in 1934. He had in mind composing an opera based on the life of the painter Mathias Grunewald (1470-1528), but decided to begin with a symphony, figuring he would later incorporate some of the music into the opera, which he completed in 1935. The cover of the CD booklet features a reproduction of some of the paintings by Grunewald that inspired Hindemith. They are part of an elaborate construction of panels behind the altar at a church in Isenheim, Germany. Various scenes are revealed as the panels are unfolded and from these scenes, Hindemith chose three to represent musically. The three movements are titled Engelkonzert (Angelic Concert), Grablegung (Entombment); Versuchung des heiligen Antonius (The Temptation of Saint Anthony). You might expect a concert of angels to sound gentle and ethereal, but Hindemith endows these angels with energy and luminosity befitting the celestial realm, and Alsop does a fine job of making the orchestra sing. As you might well imagine from the title, the second movement is much more somber in tone. It is not maudlin, however, as there are reflective passages and dramatic passages, leading without pause into the more dramatic third movement, with Alsop getting the orchestra to play with both precision and power. This is truly an excellent performance.
KWN
To listen to a brief excerpt from this album, click below:
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