Eclectic Approaches of Paul Hindemith as exemplified in his Sonata for Two Pianos

Abstract

This thesis will focus on Paul Hindemith's Sonata for Two Pianos and attempt to exemplify its eclectic approaches as well as technical and stylistic parallels, and influences, both from the piece's past and future. Examples that predate the piece do not necessarily mean they are direct references, but should be perceived as having common ancestors, much like how Darwinian evolution trees are understood, and examples that postdate the piece do not necessarily mean they have been directly influenced, but rather that the original work foreshadowed certain concepts that were meant to appear in due time. Paul Hindemith is one of the most important and prolific composers of the 20th century along with Stravinsky, Bartok and Schoenberg and a very rare figure in the music history who has succeeded to combine being a performer, conductor, composer, theorist, and an inspiring teacher. His enormous output has contributed to the repertoire of almost every instrument. Although Hindemith was one of the most important and prolific composers of the 20th century, his works did not receive as much attention from many musicologists and performers as his contemporaries. The purpose of this thesis is to renew interest in Sonata for Two Pianos, which deserves to have a significant high standing in the piano repertoire. The Sonata for Two Pianos is the clear evidence of Paul Hindemith's compositional and harmonic language and has the ability to expand the pianists' knowledge of contemporary piano repertory from a different point of view. Paul Hindemith's Sonata for Two Pianos should be considered as a piece that should be played more frequently in piano recitals and studied more deeply by musicologists. In addition, Hindemith's eclectic compositional approach in his works needs to be examined thoroughly. The methods used in this thesis are qualitative analysis and comparative analysis on the works before and after Hindemith's Sonata for Two Pianos in addition to a score analysis.