Trauermusik

''Trauermusik'' is a suite for viola and string orchestra, written on 21 January 1936 by Paul Hindemith at very short notice in memory of King George V of the United Kingdom, who died the previous night. The title means "Mourning Music" or "Funeral Music" in English, but the work is always known by its German title.

Background

On 19 January 1936, Paul Hindemith travelled to London, intending to play his viola concerto '' Der Schwanendreher'', with Adrian Boult and the BBC Symphony Orchestra in Queen's Hall, on 22 January. This was to be the British premiere of the work.

However, just before midnight on 20 January, King George V died. The concert was cancelled, but Boult and the BBC music producer Edward Clark still wanted Hindemith's involvement in any music that was broadcast in its place. They debated for hours what might be a suitable piece, but nothing could be found, so it was decided that Hindemith should write something new.Hindemith's letter of 23 January 1936 to Willy Strecker, in ''Paul Hindemith: Selected Letters''
/ref> The following day, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Hindemith sat in an office made available to him by the BBC and wrote ''Trauermusik'' in homage to the late king. It was written for viola and string orchestra (''Der Schwanendreher'' employs a larger complement that includes woodwinds). ''Trauermusik'' was performed that evening in a live broadcast from a BBC radio studio, with Boult conducting and the composer as soloist.

The music

''Trauermusik'' consists of four very short movements. The first movement is marked ''Langsam''. The second movement (''Ruhig bewegt'') is less than a minute in length and the third is only slightly longer.

The last movement is the heart of the work. Hindemith intended to quote the chorale "Vor deinen Thron tret' ich hiermit" ("Here I appear in front of Thy throne"), the words being well known from Johann Sebastian Bach's deathbed composition. Hindemith chose Bach's harmonisation BWV 327, unaware at the time, that the original manuscript of this setting is without text and that the text "Vor deinen Thron" was added only by the editors of the Bach-Gesellschafts-Ausgabe, whereas Bach for "Vor deinen Thron" always used the tune "Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein". The tune of BWV 327, on its part, was very familiar in England as the " Old 100th", to the words "All people that on Earth do dwell".

The piece also contains quotations from '' Symphony: Mathis der Maler'' and '' Der Schwanendreher''. ''Trauermusik'' immediately entered the repertoire of violists, as well as cellists and even violinists.

The Swiss philanthropist and music patron Werner Reinhart, to whom Hindemith had dedicated his Clarinet Quintet in 1923,Paul Hindemith summary
later told Gertrud Hindemith "there was something Mozartian" about her husband's writing ''Trauermusik'' in half a day, and premiering it the same day. "I know no one else today who could do that", he said.

References

External links

* Michael Steinberg
‘’The Concerto’’


*Stevenson, Joseph. "Trauermusik" ''AllMusic.com''.

{{Authority control

Compositions for viola and orchestra
Compositions by Paul Hindemith
1936 compositions
Orchestral suites
Funerary and memorial compositions
Cultural depictions of George V
Concertos by Paul Hindemith
Compositions for string orchestra