Hindemith: Viola Concertos

Eclectic

I was first exposed to Hindemith's work at a local Omaha Symphony performance where the Swan Turner was the secondary performance (Mozarts 40th was the premiere piece)> i was amazed by the almost discordant cacophonic sound of the viola solo which carries the piece. it is amazing in the sense of any modern music solo performance. think guitar virtuosos like Page, Gilmour or Knopfler. if your looking for a nice smoothly flowing work then stick w beethoven mozart or th like. if you want to experience a modern era genuis lsiten to Hindemith May 9, 2008

Immaculate and Soulful Performances of Hindemith by Brett Dean

Brett Dean (born 1961 in Brisbane, Australia) is beginning to be a much talked about name in the music world. Long established as a fine violist (he was a violist with the Berlin Philharmonic for fifteen years) both as an ensemble member and soloist, Dean is spending more time composing these days than playing. His recent appearance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic joined the two ventures as soloist/composer with his own Viola Concerto, a work of stunning beauty that hopefully will find its way onto a CD soon.

Meanwhile this recording of music by Paul Hindemith is one of the more satisfying collections of works for any instrument but for the viola in particular. Dean is joined by the Brisbane Queensland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Werner Andreas Albert in four of Hindemith's most beautiful compositions: 'Kammermusik No.5, for viola & orchestra', 'Konzertmusik for viola & large chamber orchestra', 'Der Schwanendreher, concerto for viola & small orchestra', and the extraordinarily moving 'Trauermusik for viola and string orchestra. Dean's liquid technique serves him well in both the treacherous passages of these works as well as the languid portions, making the viola sound more like a small cello.

For a collection of works too infrequently heard this is a recording that will please listeners whose spectrum of appreciation for many music periods is large. Brett Dean is a fine musician, in every sense of the term. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, October 06
October 16, 2006

perfect trauermusik

This was an amazing recording!!! Mr. Dean tone is flawless, and the recording of Trauermusik is incredible!!! Such rich, emotional playing! I have never heard better.

Now, to Allan whatshisface "zallan":
when you review a CD, you are supposed to comment on the record quality, and the artists playing. NOT what you think about the composer and contemporary music. If you don't like it, don't review it! People who are looking at the CD are probably looking at the CD because they LIKE the composer's music. Let the people who like it give a REAL critique! And if you think that the Op. 36 sounds like screaching, then it's time for you to have a hearing check. December 3, 2005

Excellent recording, well worth buying!

I can't agre at all with the reviewer from Philadelphia who panned this recording and the music contained therein. First, unless he is a prolific and successful composer, I don't think he has any authoity to come off sounding so elitist.

I am a former violist and composer, and I can tell you it is HARD to compose a symphonic piece (as opposed, say, to the electric guitar, when all you really have to do is come up with the chords)of music. Anyone can spin off "She Loves You" or that sort of thing, but it is quite an accomplishment to write a cohesive piece of music for a classical instrument like the viola. I have played all of Hindemith's pieces with varying degrees of mediocrity, but I can tell you that it is quite beautiful to listen to when the violist gets it right (and I rarely did). My teacher at the time, Alfredo Baldassarri, brought Hindemith's music to life, and managed to play this Germanic music with an intensity and feeling that I could never have matched, and through the music of Hindemith (and Stravinsky), I fell in love with the dissonant, modern sound of the music on this CD. To hear it played cleanly and non-mechanically is wonderful, and Mr. Dean pulls it off magnificently. I don't hear one unintended string being played, not one hint of "sawing" that is so common with Hindemith's pieces (because they are, after all, somewhat abrasive to play). Mr. Dean's technique is flawless, and he doesn't allow the listener, for even a second, to put the CD on "pause" to go do something...

I liked his playing of the op.36. It is not Mozart, that is true, but nobody else was except for Mozart. Op. 36 is difficult to play, and Mr. Dean does a great job.

I am especially fond of Mr. Dean's interpretation of "Der Schwanendreher", and in particular the opening section. It is played cleanly, with feeling, and a tenderness that can only come from true understanding of the piece.

All in all, this is a superb recording, and every viola player should own it. I enthusiastically and unqualifiedly give it five stars. May 8, 2005

the Hindemith Experience

A violist myself, I have often considered Hindemith my favorite composer for the viola. I am completely satisfied with my purchase of this cd; Dean's musicality and interpretation and Queensland Symphony's sensitivity to the unique viola timbre were an aural delight. I am always excited when modern day classical violists emerge; they rejuvenate the time-worn repertoire and lend a fresh, clear vision to the future of viola playing. This cd is a must-have for any violist (or musician for that matter) who wants a fresh, modern perspective on Hindemith. June 17, 2000

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