Paul Hindemith

The Profile

Paul Hindemith (1895–1963) was a German composer, violist, conductor, and influential teacher. A leading 20th‑century figure, he championed a rigorous, contrapuntal, tonal language. Targeted by the Nazi regime, he left Germany in 1938 and later taught in the United States. Cornerstone works include Ludus Tonalis, the Kammermusik cycle, Mathis der Maler, Das Marienleben, and Symphonic Metamorphosis.

German composer and violist; major 20th‑century voice; opposed by the Nazi regime and exiled in 1938; renowned for contrapuntal craft and modern tonality; celebrated works span solo piano, chamber, orchestral, and vocal music.

Three reviews spotlight Hindemith’s modern-yet-tonal voice: the rigor and play of Ludus Tonalis and the swaggering, soloist-centric Kammermusik cycle. They trace his post‑WWI chamber focus, Baroque affinities, and contrapuntal mastery. Historical notes cover Nazi hostility, Goebbels’ attacks, and Hindemith’s 1938 exile. The verdict is admiring: brilliant craft, rhythmic vitality, and major 20th‑century stature.