Hyperion Records
Hindemith: Ludus Tonalis
CDA66824

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Recording details: July 1995
The Warehouse, Waterloo, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Martin Compton
Engineered by Antony Howell & Julian Millard
Release date: March 1996
Total duration: 68 minutes 27 seconds

'L'excellente pianiste John McCabe s'engage dans une approche unitaire, grave et remarquablement architecturée, privilégiant l'austerité et la densité du propos' (Le Monde de la Musique, France)

Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)
Ludus Tonalis
John McCabe (piano)
Ludus Tonalis
1
No 01. Praeludium: Moderate. Arioso, quiet. Slow. solemn, broad  [3'38]
2
No 02. Fugue 1: Fuga Prima in C. Slow  [2'11]
3
No 03. Interlude 1: Moderate, with energy  [1'29]
4
No 04. Fugue 2: Fuga Secunda in G. Gay  [1'27]
5
No 05. Interlude 2: Pastorale, moderate  [1'03]
6
No 06. Fugue 3: Fuga Tertia in F. Andante  [2'17]
7
No 07. Interlude 3: Scherzando  [1'18]
8
No 08. Fugue 4: Fuga Quarta in A. With energy. Slow, grazioso. tempo primo  [3'08]
9
No 09. Interlude 4: Fast  [1'14]
10
No 10. Fugue 5: Fuga Quinta in E. Fast  [1'18]
11
No 11. Interlude 5: Moderate  [1'18]
12
No 12. Fugue 6: Fuga Sexta in E flat. Quiet  [2'10]
13
No 13. Interlude 6: March  [2'10]
14
No 14. Fugue 7: Fuga Septima in A flat. Moderate  [1'58]
15
No 15. Interlude 7: Very broad  [1'58]
16
No 16. Fugue 8: Fuga Octava in D. With strength  [1'08]
17
No 17. Interlude 8: Very fast  [1'23]
18
No 18. Fugue 9: Fuga Nona in B flat. Moderate, scherzando  [2'10]
19
No 19. Interlude 9: Very quiet  [2'07]
20
No 20. Fugue 10: Fuga Decima in D flat. Moderately fast, grazioso  [2'10]
21
No 21. Interlude 10: Allegro pesante  [2'06]
22
No 22. Fugue 11: Fuga Undecima in B (Canon). Slow  [2'06]
23
No 23. Interude 11: Valse  [1'58]
24
No 24. Fugue 12: Fuga Duodecima in F sharp. Very quiet  [2'31]
25
No 25. Postludium: Solemn, broad, Arioso, quiet, Moderate  [3'11]
Suite '1922', Op 26
26
Movement 1: Marsch  [1'28]
27
Movement 2: Shimmy  [3'38]
28
Movement 3: Nachtstück  [5'56]
29
Movement 4: Boston  [5'17]
30
Movement 5: Ragtime  [2'41]
Ludus Tonalis is that great work of intellectual gymnastics which has been called a '20th-century composer's reappraisal of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier', but its twelve fugues and their interludes are notable equally for their emotion as for their (indisputable) logic. The work represents a musical statement of Hindemith's theories yet in it we encounter one of the most adventurous works for solo piano of the twentieth century.

The Suite '1922' has five movements which stylize various American popular dance thems, each featuring Hindemith's characteristically cavalier use of traditional harmony and Satie-like instructions to the performer: 'Regard the piano here as an interesting percussion instrument ...'