Masterclass: violist Tabea Zimmermann on Hindemith Sonata for solo viola op.25 no.1

tz

Zimmermann shares a lyrical approach to a characterful, multifaceted work, in this article from April 2015

Paul Hindemith (1895–1963) wrote this sonata for himself in 1922 – apparently rather quickly. He left the first and fifth movements for a train ride between Frankfurt and Cologne, then performed the completed piece in Cologne that evening. It was intended as an easier alternative to the far more difficult Sonata for solo viola op.11 no.5, and he played it frequently between 1922 and 1932, performing it 58 times. He dedicated the work to Ladislav Černý, violist of the Zika Quartet, whom he met at the Donaueschingen Festival in south-west Germany in the summer of 1922. It is a major repertoire piece for viola players and a good example of Hindemith’s musical ideas…

Already subscribed? Please sign in

Subscribe to continue reading…

We’re delighted that you are enjoying our website. For a limited period, you can try an online subscription to The Strad completely free of charge.

  • Free 7-day trial

    Not sure about subscribing? Sign up now to read this article in full and you’ll also receive unlimited access to premium online content, including the digital edition and online archive for 7 days.

    No strings attached – we won’t ask for your card details

  • Subscribe 

    No more paywalls. To enjoy the best in-depth features and analysis from The Strad’s latest and past issues, upgrade to a subscription now. You’ll also enjoy regular issues and special supplements* and access to an online archive of issues back to 2010.

 

* Issues and supplements are available as both print and digital editions. Online subscribers will only receive access to the digital versions.