The String Quartet op.22, composed in November-December 1921 remained a permanent fixture in
the repertoires, not only of its first performers, the Amar Quartet (with the composer playing viola), but
also of international ensembles like the Budapest Quartet, Prague City Quartet, Fine Arts or Kroll
Quartet…till the triumph of the Second Viennese School (1960). Although seemingly in five
movements, the last two actually form a single movement, the mässig schnell, a short fantasiarecitative
in the cello, leads straight into the finale, a clever rondo whose refrain for the first time
affirms a persuasive key, F sharp minor. The work begins mezza voce with a very slow fugato, but the
discourse soon assumes an astonishing expressive force that borders on the violent in the scherzo in
which the rhythmic design, imposed by sharp accents is of intractable logic. The title of Minimax,
written 25-26 July 1923, was derived from the diminutives of he names of the Prince (Max) de
Fürstenberg and of Wilhelmine (Min(z)i), Countess Schönberg-Glauchauqui, to whom he has just been
married. Hindemith sum up his experience as a drummer in a military band during the First World War.
He incorporated a lot of literary and musical puns: Wasserdichter und Volgelbauer (on Poet and
Peasant of F. von Suppé), a caricature of Johann Strauss , first in An Evening by the Source of
Danube [situated in a park of von Fürstenberg castle at Donaueschingen), Danube Spring for two
‘distant’ trumpets (violin II and viola), and the final march, Alte Karbonaden, with sudden changes of
tempo and modes of attack imitating brass instruments… The Overture to the flying Dutchman (August
1925) is by no means anti-Wagnerian, but reproduces, for the delectation of musicians who feed
themselves by playing bandstand or silent film music, what Hindemith himself had experienced. So
many of the intonations that take the musicians back to their ineffable ‘beer hall music’ are sheer
marvels of the kind.
The Kocian Quartet, the excellent Czech ensemble founded in 1972, and benefiting from a splendid
first violin, Pavel Hůla, and a no-less remarkable cellist, at once overturns the (anaemic) discography
of these fascinating works that are practically never played in concert. With the finest stylistic aptness,
their committed interpretation powerful, balanced and technically masterful goes straight to the heart of
great and beautiful music that merits immediate rediscovery. We can only hope to hear them in the
intense Third Quartet….
”CHOC” DU MONDE DE LA MUSIQUE, mai 2001 Patrick Szersnovicz
PRD 350 036
