Paul Hindemith, Sonata for viola solo Op.25 No.1, IV. Raging tempo. Wild • V.Dinerchtein (viola)

Paul Hindemith (1895–1963), a notorious German composer, conductor, and teacher, was also a prominent violist, who premiered Walton&Viola Concerto, one of today&most played concertos in the viola repertoire. Reportedly, he mastered every single instrument of a symphony orchestra, besides the viola. Hindemith had a complex relationship with the Nazi regime—on one hand, he emblematized the German culture; on the other hand,his wife had Jewish roots—and during the war he felt forced to emigrate to America, where he became a US citizen. He taught composition at Yale University, gaining a legendary reputation of arrogance—according to Richard Taruskin, "he awarded only twelve students masters°rees in composition during his entire tenure at Yale." (See The Oxford History of Western Music.)