A Comparative Analysis of Three Recordings of the Symphony in B-Flat Conducted by Paul Hindemith

Introduction Paul Hindemith (November 16, 1895 - December 28, 1963) is certainly considered to be one of the leading musical figures of the twentieth century. His breadth as a musician is probably without peer during his life. "If there were ever a complete musician, Paul Hindemith was surely that man. Composer, theorist, scholar, conductor, violinist, and teacher, Hindemith excelled in whatever role he chose to perform."1 He was a pioneer in performing pre-classical music and his work at Yale with the Collegium Musicum from 1945 until 1953 was particularly important. He wrote numerous theoretical and pedagogical books and was one of the most prolific composers of his century. He was well known as a performer on a number of instruments. He even played bass drum in a regimental band briefly during part of World War I.2 He was especially a highly regarded viola player performing both solo and chamber music; he premiered the Walton Concerto in 1929. Later in life, he became a "globetrotting conductor"3 and achieved considerable notoriety in that field. Symphony in B-flat Many scholars and conductors view Paul Hindemith's Symphony in B-flat as being one of the most important works in the repertoire for wind band. Composed in 195 1 , it has enjoyed countless performances since its premier by the United States Army Band in that year. It is interesting to note that its creation came about because of an invitation extended to Hindemith to serve as a guest conductor. A representative of the U.S. Army Band in Washington, D.C., called on Hindemith at his New Haven home late in 1950 and invited him to be a guest conductor at one of their concerts scheduled for February. He agreed to come but suggested mat if his appearance could be arranged for a later date, "I just might write a little something." It could be and he did. The new date was 5 April and the "little something" was no less than the monumental Symphony in Bb for Concert Band, which he completed by 19 March. Hindemith conducted the first performance, played by me U.S. Army Band in me Departmental Auditorium, Washington, D. C. The composer gave the original manuscript of the score to the U.S. Army Band archives, inscribed "To Captain Hugh B. Curry after a very pleasant time with the Band and with many thanks."4 Weiss,5 Belcik,6 and Thurston7 provide greater background information on how Hindemith was invited to guest conduct the Army Band as well as history about the manuscript and first performance. Hindemith as a Conductor As noted above, Hindemith enjoyed considerable success as a conductor. While most of his activity as a conductor occurred later in life, he did begin earlier in his career. "In 1914 Hindemith joined the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra as a first violinist. He was promoted to deputy leader during the same year and to leader in 1917."8 According to Giselher Schubert, Hindemith made his first public appearance as a conductor in 1915. 9 This early experience combined with his significant work as an orchestral performer would have informed his later contributions on the podium. In the 1950s, "as his enthusiasm for teaching waned, he turned all the more energetically to conducting, leaving himself increasingly little time to compose."10 He was especially active conducting his own music during the middle and late 1950s. Under two different initiatives between 1954 and 1957 (see below), Hindemith recorded fourteen of his most significant orchestral works on the Deutshe Grammophon (DG) and Columbia (EMI) labels; this included the Symphony in B-flat. It might be assumed that part of his motivation was to provide his own specific insight into performance of his music. James H. North notes "Hindemith preferred to play or conduct first performances of his works."11 Hindemith made his views about conductors quite clear. As he wrote to Willy Strecker: "Ninety-nine percent of conductors are so devoid of wits that it is better to show them first how it should be done. …