Introduction
François-Xavier Roth’s and Tabea Zimmermann’s performance at Berliner Philharmoniker was focused on Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s Symphony in D major, Wq 183 no. 1. The instruments employed were violas, and the orchestra was performing Der Schwanendreher of Paul Hindemith. Tabea Zimmermann was also highly culturally influenced by Hindemith’s musical style and works, which made the artist interested in concertos on old folk songs for violas.
Pointers
The conductor on the stage was François-Xavier Roth, and the main performer was Tabea Zimmermann, who was using a viola. The performance was based on Bach’s symphony in D major, Wq 183 no. 1 Paul Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher. Der Schwanendreher was composed in 1935 and performed in Amsterdam on November 14, 1935. The name of the concert refers to the image of an old folk song, which served as one of the central musical themes of the work. Based on folk themes, where each movement has a prototype in medieval German folklore, the concert is a prime example of 20th-century music. The composition of the orchestra is interesting, where two flutes, an oboe, two clarinets, a bassoon, three horns, a trumpet, a trombone, timpani, a harp, and a strong group of 4 cellos and three double basses are used. In other words, the violin and viola parts are completely excluded, which gives the solo viola part a highly unique and special sound.
Format
The name of the concert is Der Schwanendreher of Paul Hindemith, and the musical style is an orchestra with a mix of folk songs. The predominant musical genre is a concerto, and it is a piece for many performers in which a minority of the instruments or voices involved oppose most or all of the ensemble. This allows one to stand out due to the thematic relief of the musical material, the colorful sound, and the use of all the possibilities of instruments or voices.
The performance utilized Paul Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher, which is comprised of three main parts. The first one is strong, with movement flowing slowly and sometimes moderately, and it is called “Zwischen Berg und tiefem Tal.” The second one is calm and relaxed, and it is named “Nun laube, Lindlein laube”: Sehr ruhig – Fugato: “Der Gutzgauch auf dem Zaune sass.” The last piece is moderately fast and quick-paced, and it is called “Seid ihr nicht der Schwanendreher.”
Research
Tabea Zimmermann, as the main performer, was primarily influenced by cultural factors because the given piece is a combination of German and Hungarian folk songs. She does not identify herself as a violist, but rather as a “musician with a viola” (“François-Xavier Roth and Tabea Zimmermann” par. 1). The artists grew up in the Black Forest, which is a region in Germany near France. Her passion for her solo viola performer developed by being exposed to the viola from a young age and being surrounded by strong German cultural elements, such as folk songs and music.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the selected concerto is Tabea Zimmermann’s and François-Xavier Roth’s performance at Berliner Philharmoniker. The displayed work is Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s Symphony in D major, Wq 183 no. 1, in conjunction with Der Schwanendreher of Paul Hindemith. The main artist was highly influenced by cultural elements of her upbringing, such as German folk music and Hindemith’s works on the viola because she learned the instrument from a young age.
Work Cited
“François-Xavier Roth and Tabea Zimmermann.” Berliner Philarmoniker, 2020, Web.