Happy Birthday, Hindemith!
Today, November 16th, is the birthdate of celebrated composer Paul Hindemith. Hindemith, who passed away in 1963, contributed multiple canon works in both the orchestral and wind repertoires. Born near Frankfurt am Maim, Germany, in 1895, Hindemith created a unique and memorable harmonic language that stemmed from his own system that ranked intervals from most to least dissonant. His innovative harmonic language was coupled with an incredible mastery of counterpoint.
Celebrate his birthday with listenings of his Symphony in Bb for concert band, the wind transcription of his Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber (transcribed by Keith Wilson in cooperation with Hindemith himself), and the marvelous early work Konzertmusik für Blasorchester, Op. 41.