Mathis der Maler (Mathias the Painter), opera in 7 scenes

• Date: 1934 -1935
• Composer: Paul Hindemith
• Period: Modern (1910-1949)

Review

Mathis der Maler is an opera in seven scenes and also a symphony. Hindemith began writing the opera in 1933, publishing the symphonic version consisting of parts of the opera in 1934. The opera itself was not completed until 1935. The piece was inspired by the work of the Renaissance painter Matthias Grünewald. Hindemith was moved by Grünewald's religious works, specifically the Isenheim Altarpiece, the Karlsruhe Crucifixion, and the Stuppach Madonna. Hindemith himself wrote the libretto for the opera, creating a personality for Grünewald out of his own imagination. While the opera ostensibly takes place in the Renaissance, it is really a strongly autobiographical work: the opera's principle idea, the artist struggling with his conscience and questioning the political and social responsibilities of art and the artist, reflected Hindemith's own difficult personal and artistic circumstances in pre-war Nazi Germany in the 1930s. In fact, though the symphonic version of Mathis der Maler was performed in Germany, Hindemith's opera was banned by the Nazis and would not receive its premiere until 1938 in Zurich. Like Hindemith, the character Matthias is faced with the question of art in the time of political unrest. His response and Hindemith's is the same: "do what you must in all conscience, despite competing demands on you."

The libretto describes Matthias' struggle with his employer, the archbishop of Mainz. Matthias is the socially conscious artist, while the archbishop is a politician. Their story is set against the background of the Peasant's War of 1524 - 1525, in which Matthias takes part on the side of the peasants. The conflict between Matthias and the archbishop is intensified when Ursula, who loves Matthias, is forced to wed the archbishop for political reasons.

Musically, Hindemith's opera represents a blending of two different styles, the so-called "new objectivity" or neo-classicism of the 1920s, with historical music. Hindemith spent much of his compositional career seeking to reconcile these two musical streams, and in Mathis der Maler comes very close to a perfect synthesis. In the opera, Hindemith's neo-classicism is tempered by the inclusion of folk song, Reformation era religious song, and Gregorian chant. Also significant is the use of "harmonic fluctuation," the progression of consonant chords towards increasingly dissonant combinations.

It is ironic that Hindemith's great opera should have been banned by the Nazis, for as Hindemith's friend Willy Schreker recounted, Mathis der Maler was originally intended as a quintessentially German opera: "the theme," wrote Schreker, "is big and German." Grünewald represented, to Hindemith, the great German artist "who went his own way despite being misunderstood, and resisted the foreign influence of the Italian Renaissance." Unfortunately, Hindemith's enemies in the Reichsmusikkammer prohibited the performance of his work, and as Hitler himself was said to dislike Hindemith's music, the Nazi regime eventually turned against the composer. ~ Alexander Carpenter, Rovi

Albums with Complete Performances of the Work

Title	Date
Hindemith: Mathis der Maler	1979
Hindemith: Mathis der Maler
Hindemith: Mathis der Maler	2007
Hindemith: Mathis der Maler	1979

Albums with Excerpt Performances of the Work

Title	Date
From the Back Row
Hindemith: Cardillac; Mathis Der Maler (Excerpts)	2007
Musikfeste: First Night of the Proms: Brahms, Tschaikowsky, Mahler, Hindemith, Schnittke & Bernstein
Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Vol. 2 [Box Set]	1996

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