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HINDEMITH Complete Piano Sonatas MAURIZIO PACIARIELLO
Paul Hindemith 1895-1963 Complete Piano Sonatas By 1936 Hindemith’s fame had grown considerably, thanks to the success of the Mathis der Maler symphony and the Der Schwanendraher viola concerto. Despite this, however, his standing in Germany had declined because of the ban on the performance of his music issued in October. This measure was the culmination of grievous developments that had begun two years earlier and that led to the publication of Furtwängler’s article, “The Hindemith Case”, in the “Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung”. It was thus inevitable that concerts that included Hindemith in the programme largely took place elsewhere in the world, in London, in the USA and in Turkey, where Ataturk’s government was hoping to found forward-looking, modern musical institutions. In fact right at the time Hindemith was becoming increasingly aware of the fact that he no longer fitted in with the political and cultural climate of his own country, he received an invitation from Ankara to help with the organization of Turkish musical life along European lines. In that period he was also thinking seriously about writing a treatise on composition of his own, a project that ultimately became the Unterweisung im Tonsatz. So during the course of 1936 various events interwove to influence his artistic output, from the deterioration of the political situation to his relationship with contemporary music, from the reversals in his personal life to the definition of his own particular musical methodology. Within this framework the three Piano Sonatas composed that year can be seen as a complete cycle that reveals personal events as well as cultural and aesthetic considerations. This renewed interest in the Sonata came about in a fruitful season in which Hindemith expanded his focus to include to the flute, oboe, bassoon and organ as well as his usual favourite instruments. The Sonatas also represent tradition, however, in particular German music, from that of the late baroque period to the great works of Beethoven and the Romantic compositions of Schumann and Brahms. 2
The first Sonata draws inspiration from the verse of Friedrich Hölderlin, “Der Main”, written when the poet was about to leave Frankfurt. Clearly there is an autobiographical echo in this departure involving both political and artistic aspects: the need to leave his homeland, and his indissoluble connections with it. The short first movement (Ruhig bewegte Viertel) consists of two contrasting motifs that return in reverse order in the fourth of the five movements. These are simply lyrical subjects that soon erupt into fast imitations and fleeting modulations. The range of the keyboard is brought to the fore by means of echoing octaves played by both hands. Next comes an extended, solemn March (Im Zeitmass einer sehr langsamen Marches) in which the first section is entrusted with the obsessive subject interspersed with more introspective moments that speak for greater intimacy. By contrast, the central section (Etwas lebhafter) is lighter in pace, with melodic lines that alternate with mono-rhythmic passages before returning to the initial march. The central scherzo is wide-reaching (Lebhaft), with alternating dance and Dionysiac episodes on motifs that hint at distant elegies. In the fourth movement (Ruhig bewegte Viertel) the transfigured repetition of the initial thematic material returns to the quiet yearning and bitter apprehension of the outset, heralding the final Lebhaft in its assertive act of freedom. This latter movement is relatively long, and made up of highly contrasting elements: the first two episodes return in reverse order after the contrasting central section in the form of a military march, creating a drawn-out crescendo leading to the convulsive conclusion. The Second Sonata, which is more agile and delicate in structure, works perfectly as the central section of the triptych. The first movement (Mässig schnell) opens with a simple motif built around a passage reminiscent of the Basso Albertino accompaniment that maintains its classically lean structure throughout the development. The scherzo (Lebhaft) is also light in structure, and somewhat ironic in tone. The last movement consists of three parts that include an amusing RondoBewegt set between two Sehr langsam passages, the first of which acts as a coda. All three episodes share the same thematic material, but while the first section is ternary, 3
the successive rondo is binary, which creates a slight feeling of disorientation and amused curiosity in the development of the fast episode that gradually clarifies its relationship with its more melancholy next of kin. The Third Sonata completes the cycle, creating a perfect balance between the breadth of the First and the terse classicism of the Second. The work begins with a movement in 6/8 time (Ruhig bewegt), reminiscent of a siciliana and evocative of the opening of Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 101. In the central part the subject changes, however, creating a somewhat troubled atmosphere that influences the return to the initial elements. The second movement (Sehr lebhaft) is a demanding, energetic threepart scherzo that requires virtuoso performance and suggests inclusion in concert programmes. Next comes a solemn but pacey passage (Mässig schnell) that heralds in fugue form one of the subjects of the following fugue. This is just one of the various episodes in an extensive, two-part piece that starts with a rigorous march based on the lower registers, continues with the fugue section and ends with an embellished subject reminiscent of the timbre of the flute. The Fugue that completes the entire cycle (Lebhaft) is the first of many composed by Hindemith. Like others written in the same period, it speaks for the rediscovery in modern times of the quintessential form of early music. The lively recapitulation of the first subject with its run of ascending fourths, the alternation with divertimento elements, and the subsequent interweaving with the second subject derived from the previous movement and leading up to the climax of the final coda all mirror the paths explored by the early masters. Hindemith pays homage to the composers of a bygone age, launching anew their message in the heart of the 20th century, at the eve of World War. (c) Maurizio Paciariello Translation: Kate Singleton
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Maurizio Paciariello attended Giuseppe Scotese’s classes at the “S. Cecilia” Conservatoire in Rome, where he obtained his diploma with top marks and distinction. Later, he took a higher studies course under Aldo Ciccolini. He then completed further studies in ensemble music with P. Badura-Skoda at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, and with N. Brainin at the Photo: © Serena Dattilo “Scuola di Musica di Fiesole“. He received a prize at the 47th ARD International Competition in Munich in 1998, and debuted at the Carnegie Hall, New York, in 2003. His focus is the solo and ensemble repertoire, with special interest in performing on period instruments. In fact he currently has access to a small but representative selection of period instruments, including a copy of a late 18th century Silbermann clavichord, an early 19th century Viennese Haselmann fortepiano, a Boisselot French piano from ca. 1840, and an 1885 Bosendorfer. His attention to early performance techniques has led to the realization of ambitious projects, such as a performance of Beethoven’s complete sonatas for violin and pianoforte on an 1804 Broadwood piano (Museum of the American Piano, New York), and his successful performance at the Cappella Paolina at the Quirinale in Rome. His recording debut came with the Concertos for pianoforte and orchestra by F. Kuhlau and F. Berwald with the Sassari Symphonic Orchestra, for Inedita. 5
Also for Inedita he recorded Beethoven’s Concerto in E-flat major WoO4 (1784), winning acclaim among critics in Italy and internationally. He followed up on his research into Beethoven’s early concertos with the Rondo in B-flat major and the Concerto in D Op.61a, both greeted enthusiastically by international musicologists and shortlisting for the Prix International du Disque, Cannes. The recently issued seventh volume of “Beethoven Rarities”, dedicated to a revision of Concerto Op.58 in the 1808 manuscript version and Concerto Op.19 with the handwritten cadenza taken from the Kafka Skizzenbuch, earned a 5 star rating from Rivista Musica. For ASV, he produced a CD dedicated to music for violin and pianoforte by the Norwegian composer C. Sinding, which won praise from Fanfare, BBC News, the Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and other media. For Tactus, he has recorded the Sonatas of Lino Liviabella and Nino Rota for viola and Pianoforte with Luca Sanzò, and the complete works for violin and pianoforte by Ottorino Respighi, with Marco Rogliano. He holds the chair in Pianoforte at the “L. Canepa” Conservatoire, Sassari. The CD with Luca Sanzò of Viola and Piano sonatas by Paul Hindemith for Brilliant Classics (94782) has received important recognition from Gramophone, Fanfare, MusicWeb International, Musica and Opusklassiek.
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Recording: 9-11 October 2014, Capranica (VT) Chiesa di S.Terenziano, Italy Recording engineer: Davide Farace Recording supervisor: Daniele Ciavatta Photos: Serena Dattilo Cover image: Philippa Baile p & © 2015 Brilliant Classics
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