JAVS Fall 1995

57

FORUM

Hindemith Recalled

Brief Encounter with Hindemith

I n 1955, Paul Hiridernith visited London and conducted two BBC Symphony Orchestra concerts. I was given authority to be absent from the first concert to enable me to take part in a radio performance of Hindemith's Kammermusik, op. 46, no. 1, for viola d' amore and orchestra. This took place with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Walter Goehr on 17 March 1955. The following day I returned to the BBC Orchestra and my normal job and met Hindemith, who had not been able to listen to the broadcast of the Kammermusik since he was conducting a performance for the BBC in their Maida Vale Studios. He said some nice things about my performance, which had been listened to and reported on by his wife. During our conversation I asked him if he would ever consider writing something else for the viola d' amore? He replied in very firm language and strong voice, "There is Seiler in Berlin, Sabatini in Rome, yourself here in London, and possibly a few others dotted around the world, and that is all. It just is not commercial!" And that was the end of the conversation and also his output for viola d' amore, I might add.

Harry Danks, London