Paul Hindemith - String Quartets Vol. 3 (Amar Quartet)

Information

Composer: Paul Hindemith

• String Quartet No. 1 in C major, Op. 2
• String Quartet No. 4, Op. 22

Amar Quartet

    Anna Brunner, violin

    Igor Keller, violin

    Hannes Bärtschi, viola

    Péter Somodari, cello

Date: 2015

Label: Naxos

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Review

The Amar Quartet plays Hindemith with all the proprietorial authority one would expect from such a brand. The first Amar Quartet was founded back in 1921 by Hindemith, who played viola in it under the leadership of Licco Amar. But the name was revived 20 years ago when, to mark the composer’s centenary, the Hindemith Institute awarded the title to today’s Swiss-based players on account of their deep engagement with his music. This third and final volume in their Naxos series of the complete Hindemith string quartets proves again how worthy they are of the honour.

Hindemith’s seven quartets were written between 1915 and 1945, and show all the stylistic progress that implies. The String Quartet No. 1 is his Opus Two, so not surprisingly there are echoes of Brahms in its late-Romantic language, and it is a long work lasting just over 40 minutes; the composer put it away after its premiere and it was not heard again until 1986. It might cloy in a lesser performance, but not here thanks to the Amars’ subtle warmth. The great Fourth Quartet, dating from 1921, finds Hindemith already in possession of his full powers: these players ensure that the opening ‘Fugato’ is never dry, and they are superbly attuned to the unsentimental melancholy of the beautiful middle movement.

— John Allison

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Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 – 28 December 1963) was a German composer and theorist. Studied in Frankfurt, he gained early experience as a violinist and became a prominent composer by the late 1920s. His works range from chamber music and song cycles to operas such as Mathis der Maler. He taught in Turkey, the United States and Switzerland. Opposed to twelve-tone techniques, he sought to revitalize tonality, developing his own harmonic theory, outlined in The Craft of Musical Composition. Hindemith also promoted Gebrauchsmusik ("utility music"), viewing composers as craftsmen serving social needs

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The Amar Quartet, currently comprising Anna Brunner, Matthias Alexander Bruns, Izabel Markova and Xavier Pignat, is an internationally recognized ensemble closely associated with the legacy of Paul Hindemith. Named in honor of Hindemith's original 1922 quartet, the group has demonstrated a strong commitment to his works, including recording all seven string quartets for Naxos. The quartet has established a prominent presence in Switzerland through initiatives such as the "Homage to Hindemith" festival. Trained by the Alban Berg Quartet, they actively contribute to music education through masterclasses worldwide.

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