Hindemith

Sonata for Double Bass and Piano

Paul Hindemith's Sonata for double bass and piano was written in 1949, his
publisher (Schott & Co. Ltd) had asked him to write the sonata, which was rushed into
print early in 1950 and premiered in Vienna by Otto Ruhm (Principal Bass, Vienna
Philharmonic) and Gerhard Ruhm (piano) on 26 April 1950, this is an important work in
the solo double bass repertoire which helped to stimulate other important 20th-century
composers to write for the double bass, Hindemith was the 1st world famous composer
writing for double bass.

In this analysis paper I’m going to do a harmonic and schematic analysis, used
compositions 20th century techniques and other relevant information of the 2nd
movement.

This is piece is written for double bass in solo tuning, which means the double
bass part sounds a 2nd higher than what is written. Also the register of the Double Bass is
around two octaves lower than the piano, this texture bring various functions of the double
bass in the music, melodic and harmonic function.

This movement is a Scherzo plus a small trio, form skin:

A. 1-28
B. 29-51

Trio. 52-77

A. 78-91

This form remind us to the traditional Ternary Form.

 (A. 1-28)

The main theme of this movement starts in the 1st bar until bar 6, played
by the double bass. It’s mostly diatonic and we could say A is the tonal centre.
The Piano part in these bars plays A pedal in its lowest voice, which gives a strong
feeling of tonic, the two upper voices move chromatically in parallel fourths, and
the third voice, also moves chromatically, but in contrary motion. In this 6 bars
we have some of the most import composition tools of the 20th century, 1 bar we
have a A minor/major chord which give the felling of tonal centre and also the
octatonic scale colour, in the following bars we get chromatics and the interval of
perfect 4th used as a melodic and harmonic function. From bar 7 to 25 we can find
rhythm motive of the 1st bar being repeated, accompanied with real parallel
harmony in the piano part, and later the repetition of the main theme. At bar 26
there is a small transition quite diatonic to the B part.
In this section the double bass part is mostly melodic while the piano texture is
extremely vertical and strict, this contrast give emphasis to the melody and the
double bass can heard even in the low register.

(B. 29- 51)

At bars 29 to 32 the double bass part moves in leaps of major sevenths which give
a chromatic texture, while the piano part as more horizontal line, playing with some
sequences (annotated score). At bars 33 to 35 there is a suggestion of E which the
dominant of A (main tonal centre of the piece) we could say that these 3 bars are very
tonal. At bars 38 to 42 the double bass plays a long C# as a pedal note, while the piano
has some sequences: the right hand plays perfect fourth, the left hand plays a sequence of
whole/half (octatonic scale) going down in minor seconds. From bars 43 to 49 there is a
repetition of the major sevenths motive. In contrast to bars 27-28, this transition in bars
50 to 51, has a very chromatic sonority, missing just the E natural to get the complete
chromatic scale.

In this section in contrast to the A part the piano has a more horizontal and melodic part
while the double bass has more harmonic and colouring function.
(Trio. 52- 77)

In this section is the first time that the piano goes lower than the double bass, the
texture is dark and low, the voices are very close together. At bars 52 to 5 55 we can feel
G minor as a tonal centre due to the long G pedal, another kind of pedal on D in the piano
part, also the double bass melody that always starts on B flat and ends in G. The theme
of the trio is repeated now in bar 60, and again we find the octatonic, diatonic and
elements. At bars 68-71 the interval of the fourth appears again, along with chromatic and
octatonic elements. The melody in the double bass is still in G minor. At bars 72-75 close
the G minor section and are supposed to lead us back to A. Again we have two bars of
transition similar to bars 50-51.

In this section both instruments have more less the same texture and function also to give
the trio character.

(A. 78- end)

In this last section, as waited we find the recapitulation of the first section. The melody
in the double bass stay as it was presented firstly just the rests between the melodic fragments
were augmented. At bars 83 to 85 we get a perfect cadence played by the double bass line, the
G# and D# at bars 83 and 84 make the E7 chord and the pizzicatos at bar 85 make the A minor
chord. After this cadence in the piano part the parallel harmony stops in the A minor/major
chord keeping this chord till the end of this movement.

Conclusion

After this analysis I got much more aware of what is happening on this movement and
the whole sonata. I understood why the sonata is so well acclaimed in the way of the
composition techniques used by Hindemith, just the fact the piano part is so distanced in pitch
from the double bass part make both lines shine without losing the blend between voices,
Hindemith shows with this “formula” to know the nature of the double bass sound. We can see
this aspect in others sonata written by Hindemith for low instruments. Other aspect is the effect
of different textures in each part and also in different sections, this movement is a good example
of it. Other aspect is the fact we can say we have indeed a tonal centre but is given every in two
colours, minor and major, what gives to this movement in my opinion a mysterious and
ambiguous character.

As performance advice, after this analysis, I would emphasize all the rhythm aspects: short notes
even shorter, long and legato notes even more legato. Also I would be strict with the dynamics
given by the composer. Because I think this movement and the whole sonata lives of the
constant contrast.