Issue 17 - 20th Century Germans

I'm writing this post so late this week --- most readers probably won't get it until after the weekend... sorry! I spent the afternoon exploring some ideas I have for repertoire for next year... before I knew it, Katie had awoken from her afternoon nap and I hadn't even started [Bookends] for the week!

Very briefly, my prelude this week is the Andante from Paul Hindemith's Second Sonata for Organ. While Hindemith (1895-1963) is a founding father of modernism in music, he is considered neo-classical and paid homage to Bach in his compositions (especially true of his compositions after 1930). Hindemith turned away from the atonal music of his contemporaries, believing that harmony and melody were at the heart of sincere music. The Andante from Sonata II (written in 1937) has to be one of my favorite pieces for organ. It's undeniable that it has what I consider a sterile, German character --- yet the work does not leave the listener parched. While at times the landscape in this piece could remind us of a desert, Hindemith creates a mirage of lush harmonies, directing us to believe our thirst has been quenched.

Paul Hindemith had a complicated life in Nazi-Germany... married to a Jewish woman, yet swore and oath to Hitler... conducted at official Nazi concerts, yet emigrated eventually to the United States. Hopefully I can explore that more in further [Bookends].

My postlude this week is Praeludium by Hermann Schroeder (1904-1984). I decided to pair this with the Hindemith since Schroeder was also German. While Schroeder does not have the weight of influence upon the musical world that Hindemith did, he is indeed an important modern German composer for the organ specifically. Hindemith's neo-classical influence can be seen in Schroeder's works, yet Schroeder was more strongly influenced by ancient Gregorian chant and open harmonies.

(Image: Paul Hindemith)