Customer Reviews

Violin Concerto / Symphony in E-Flat

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Escaping Europe for the haven of America, Hindemith in his Symphony in E flat caught the very moment when the Winds of War broke loose. This symphony with its unstoppable urgency evokes more than any other of the period (including those of the Russian composers) the enormous urgency of undertaking as the last surviving democracies take up the call to arms.
This performance is led by Adrian Boult in as robust and commited a piece of conducting as ever I've heard from him. Originally recorded on three-track magnetic tape, the CD sounds quite as good if not better than the orginal release. (Many of the Everest CDs sound very good) More recent performances showcase Hindemith's orchestra colors better through modern digital sound, yet seem to me less riveting overall than Boult's group. It should be noted that when this was recorded in 1958, the orchestra musicians and their conductor were still very close to the events of World War II.
A powerful work, lean and classical and uncomplicated by problematic harmonic experimentation. Clearly designed as a democratic work, quite straightforward and overt in its musical ideas, the symphony comes across as somewhat different from the usual Hindemith works, which are clearly less accessible to the average listener.
The violin concerto on the CD, made in 1959, is its premiere recording. Joseph Fuchs the soloist was for many years on the faculty of Julliard. Previously he was concertmaster at Cleveland and then for a time a soloist. I would not say this is the best performance, though I think it very good. In the concerto the orchestra is led by Goossens. There are excellent notes enclosed on the concerto by John Burk.

Hindemith was an excellent string player, playing in a fine quartet, and the concerto shows off his intimate knowledge of the instrument. (Stravinsky once asked him for advice on the fingering for a violin concerto Sravinsky was working on and Hindemith suggested he not worry about doing it by the book - "Let them (the virtuosos) figure it out.")
One of a serious of excellent Everest recordings not to be missed.

The Symphony in E-Flat is Hindemith's best symphopny and one of a handful of his best works. (Works like the Pittsburgh Symphony and The Harmonie der Welt sound turgid by comparison.) Bernstein led a good performance, which I think is no longer available, and Tortelier's fine performance was a highlight of his very welcome Hindemith series on Chandos in the 1990's. However, this old Everest recording with an uncharacteristically fired-up Adrian Boult is the best recording I know. The sound is more than acceptable--in fact it's quite good--and the fizzing performance has never been bettered. A good (though not equally good) performance of the violin concerto rounds out a disc that is a must for every Hindemith enthusiast.