This has to be one of the most bizarre CD couplings that has come
my way. What do the two works have in common? The only thing is
that both were performed at the same concert by students and faculty
of the Curtis Institute. What would have been more appropriate
- and greatly needed - is a new recording of the other work on
that concert: Gunther Schuller’s
Seven Studies on Themes
of Paul Klee, which to my knowledge has not appeared on a
recording since the more than fifty-year old version by Antal
Dorati and the Minneapolis Symphony on Mercury Living Presence.
This is indeed a shame, since most fans of Paul Hindemith, who
have eagerly awaited a performance of this recently unearthed
piano concerto, do not need or want another recording of the ubiquitous
New World. I can quickly dispense with an evaluation of
this performance, by saying that it is professional and generally
well played. The
Largo is quite lovely with a very nice
English horn solo, and the quiet moments of the work come off
rather well. It is just that when things start increasing in volume,
Eschenbach uses the sledge-hammer and bludgeon approach. We do
not need another unexceptional
New World.
No, this disc is recommended mainly for the 18-minute Hindemith
to admirers of the composer and to the members of the orchestra
who have contributed a world premiere recording. The
Klaviermusik
mit Orchester was one of a number of works for piano left
hand and orchestra that pianist Paul Wittgenstein commissioned
after he lost his right arm in the First World War. The most
famous work of these, and the only one that has entered the standard
repertoire, is the Ravel Concerto for the Left Hand. The story
goes that Wittgenstein either disliked or was incapable of performing
most of these commissions. To make matters worse, he did not
allow anyone else to perform the Hindemith. So, it lay unperformed
in his estate until after his wife died. It became accessible
only in 2002. The world premiere took place two years later in
Berlin by Leon Fleisher and the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir
Simon Rattle. Since then Fleisher has performed it numerous times
with other orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic under
Lorin Maazel. Ever since Fleisher lost the use of his right hand
in the 1960s he has championed left-hand works by various composers.
Thankfully, he recently regained use of his right hand to the
degree that he has performed two-handed pieces by some of the
composers with which he was earlier identified, including Mozart,
Beethoven and Schubert.
How does this concerto compare with other Hindemith works of
the same period? It was composed in 1923 at the time Hindemith
was also writing his Kammermusik concertos. The Klaviermusik
fits into this neo-classical, neo-baroque mold, with jazz influences
and touches of humour, though it is arguably at a lower level
of inspiration than the Kammermusik works. It is in four movements,
the first, second and fourth of which are fast, and the third,
the longest, is a slow movement. The piano is kept fairly busy
throughout the concerto, but gets to relax in the slow movement
and dialogue with solo English horn and flute. There is no question
that the work belongs to Hindemith of the period and is a substantial
contribution to the left-hand piano repertoire, even if it will
never equal the Ravel in popularity or the best of Hindemith
in quality. Fleisher performs it to the manner born and the orchestra
accompany well. It is not the most refined sound, and Eschenbach
again could use a lighter touch when the music is loud - especially
in the last movement. The recording itself is rather dry and
somewhat shallow, something that suits the Hindemith better than
the Dvořák.
The bottom line: is this disc worth an 18-minute world premiere?
Certainly, if you are an admirer of Hindemith, you will want
to hear it. Otherwise, it should primarily appeal to members
and fans of the orchestra. Too bad the Schuller wasn’t
included, though.
Leslie Wright
Leon Fleisher (piano) (Hindemith) 
