Hindemith, << HIHN duh muhth or HIHN duh mihth, >> Paul (1895-1963), was a German-American composer and music theorist. His compositions are noted for their use of musical forms of the past, a new approach to tonal harmony, and contrapuntal textures (see Counterpoint). Many of his works belong to the neoclassical style that emerged after World War I (1914-1918).
Hindemith wrote many sonatas for orchestral instruments, including such rarely featured instruments as the double bass, trombone, and tuba. He also wrote concertos for cello, clarinet, organ, piano, and violin, as well as concertos for such combinations of instruments as the trumpet and the bassoon. Hindemith’s other orchestral works include seven pieces called Kammermusik (Chamber Music, 1922-1927) for various solo instruments and small orchestra. Hindemith’s opera Mathis der Maler (1938) explores the role of the artist in society. He made the instrumental portions into a symphony (1934), which became one of his best-known works. Hindemith explained his system of music theory in The Craft of Musical Composition (1937, 1939, revised 1945).
Hindemith was born on Nov. 16, 1895, in Hanau, Germany. He taught at Yale University from 1940 to 1953 and became a United States citizen in 1946. While at Yale, he organized a collegium musicum, a group of musicians devoted to performing older music. This group made a significant impact on the revival of interest in early music during the mid-1900’s. Hindemith died on Dec. 28, 1963.
