Paul Hindemith - Mathis der Maler Opera (1935)

Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 – 28 December 1963) was a prolific German composer, violist, violinist, teacher and conductor. In the 1920s, he became a major advocate of the Neue Sachlichkeit (new objectivity) style of music. Notable compositions include his song cycle Das Marienleben (1923), Der Schwanendreher for viola and orchestra (1935), and opera Mathis der Maler (1938). Hindemith's most popular work, both on record and in the concert hall, is likely the Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber, written in 1943.

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The Seventh Scene is a masterpiece all by itself (2:25:13)

Mathis der Maler
1933 June - 1934 November (Libretto)
1934-08-09 (Vocal Score)
1935-07-20 (Full Score)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Mathis), Manfred Schmidt (Wolfgang Capito), James King (Cardinal Albrecht), Ursula Koszut (Regina), William Cochran (Schwalb), Peter Meven (Riedinger), Rose Wagemann (Ursula), Donald Grobe (Sylvester von Schaumberg), Gerd Feldhoff (Lorenz), Alexander Malta (Prefect of Waldburg), Trudeliese Schmidt (Countess Helfenstein).
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra & Chorus conducted by Rafael Kubelik
1977: EMI Classical 555 237-2 (CD issue)

Overture (0:00) "Engelkonzert"
ERSTES BILD - SCENE 1
Erster Auftritt (8:46)
Zweiter Auftritt (14:20)
Dritter Auftritt (26:45)
Vierter Auftritt ((27:50)

ZWEITES BILD - SCENE 2
Erster Auftritt (30:00)
Zweiter Auftritt (34:28)
Dritter Auftritt (37:18)
Vierter Auftritt (43:20)
Fünfter Auftritt (46:45)

DRITTES BILD - SCENE 3
Erster Auftritt (54:48)
Zweiter Auftritt (1:00:09)
Dritter Auftritt (1:02:24)
Vierter Auftritt (1:12:47)

VIERTES BILD - SCENE 4
Erster Auftritt (1:15:39)
Zweiter Auftritt ((1:19:20)
Dritter Auftritt ((1:21:26)
Vierter Auftritt ((1:27:54)
Fünfter Auftritt (1:29:27)

FÜNFTES BILD - SCENE 5 (1:31:57)
Erste Auftritt (1:32:34)
Zweiter Auftritt (1:36:02)
Dritter Auftritt (1:44:21)

SECHSTES BILD - SCENE 6 (1:51:41)
Erster Auftritt A (1:53:28)
B (1:57:53)
C (2:04:09)
D (2:07:13)
E (2:13:21)
Dritter Auftritt F (2:17:37)
G (2:22:03)

SIEBENTES BILD - SCENE 7
Erster Auftritt (2:25:13)
Letzter Auftritt (2:42:56)

Mathis der Maler (Matthias the Painter) is an opera by Paul Hindemith. The work's protagonist, Matthias Grünewald, was a historical figure who flourished during the Reformation, and whose art, in particular the Isenheim Altarpiece, inspired many creative figures in the early 20th century.
The temptation of St. Anthony from the Isenheim Altarpiece
Hindemith completed the opera, writing his own libretto, in 1935. By that time, however, the rise of Nazism prevented Hindemith from securing a performance in Germany. The story, set during the German Peasants' War (1524-25), concerns Matthias's struggle for artistic freedom of expression in the repressive climate of his day, which mirrored Hindemith's own struggle as the Nazis attained power and repressed dissent.The opera's obvious political message did not escape the regime.

The opera was first performed at the Opernhaus Zürich on 28 May 1938, conducted by Robert Denzler. On 14 October 1956, a rebuilt Schauspiel Köln in Cologne opened with a gala performance of the opera. On 9 and 11 March in 1939 the Opera Mathis der Maler was performed in Amsterdam, conducted by Karl Schmid-Blosz, director of the Opera in Zurich. At the same time the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam made a documentary exhibition of the painting 'The Small Crucifixion' and two drawings by Mathias Grunewald owned by Franz Koenigs. The British premiere was in Edinburgh on 29 August 1952, and it was first given in the United States on 17 February 1956, at Boston University, conducted by Sarah Caldwell.

In contrast to the popular Symphony: Mathis der Maler, the large-scale opera itself is only occasionally staged. A notable US production was that of the New York City Opera in 1995.[9] Hamburg State Opera staged the work in 2005. It was being performed at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona when the building was destroyed by a fire in January 1994.

In the Symphony of the same name, each movement below is taken from the following parts of the full opera:
I. Engelkonzert (The overture)
II. Grablegung (Orchestral interlude from the last act)
III. Versuchung des heiligen Antonius (Orchestral piece reworked and amplified into a visionary scene in Scene 6 of the Opera)

For a brief synopsis of the libretto:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathis_...)