Sonata for Violoncello Solo, Op. 25, No. 3 by Paul Hindemith
Published by Schott
Both as violist and composer, Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) was thoroughly involved with contemporary music--he was a leading exponent of New Objectivity and neoclassical styles, and was much in demand as a soloist, premiering, among other works, Walton's Viola Concerto. During the rise of fascism in Germany, he emigrated to the United States, where he became a much-respected pedagogue.
Hindemith has a strong musical legacy for string players, with several concertos and many more sonatas and other chamber music to his name. His Op.25 collection of sonatas from 1922 contains two for solo viola, one for viola d'amore and piano, and this one, No. 3, for cello solo. As with many of his chamber works, he completed it quickly and effortlessly while imbuing it with substance, craft, and imagination; in this case, it was for a casual contest to create a cello sonata among performers and committee members at the Donaueschingen Festival. For advanced players.