Vegard Landaas - The Golden Hindemith (Chamber Music for Viola & Saxophone) (2009)

Many regard Hindemith's music as rather inaccessible. Hindemith himself was impulsive, very much concerned with the emotional aspect of music, and tired of people who only thought of music in theoretical terms. The musicians on this recording from LAWO Classics have set themselves the task of showing the not so familiar, more playful Hindemith. The CD begins with a duet for viola and cello. That the work is seldom performed in concert and virtually impossible to find as a recording is due to its high degree of difficulty. The instrumental voices are interwoven in intricate parts in which the cello suddenly soars above the viola. The elaborate interplay is presented by Henninge Landaas on viola and Bjørg Lewis on cello. Also included is the familiar solo sonata for viola opus 25/1 in Henninge Landaas's sparkling interpretation.

The CD contains the complete chamber works for saxophone composed by Paul Hindemith. The saxophone duet in three movements was written for the legendary saxophonist Sigurd Racher, but it was never performed during the composer's lifetime. It is heard here in a delectable rendering by two of Norway's leading saxophonists, Rolf-Erik Nystrøm and Vegard Landaas. In the sonata for alto saxophone and piano there is a dualism that is especially evident in the last movement, where Landaas's saxophone represents that which is timeless, while the piano of Elzbieta Nawrocka stands for what is restless and modern. The main work featured on the CD is the Trio for Tenor Saxophone, Viola and Piano. One would have to search far and wide to find more closely interwoven parts than these!

In the CD booklet the listener will also find passages from a stage play entitled "Tre takter takk!" written by actor and author John Nyutstumo. It was commissioned by the musicians and especially adapted to the music on the CD.