Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber

Paul Hindemith liked to hide his wit behind a mask of seriousness, and the lengthy title of this exuberant mini-symphony conceals one of the 20th century’s most colourful—and playful—orchestral showpieces. It was 1940; Hindemith had escaped Nazi Germany and was living in the US, where he was eager to connect with a new audience. The original idea was for a ballet score based on little-known melodies by the 19th-century composer Weber. What finally emerged, in 1943, was a four-movement orchestral suite with an infectious sense of fantasy and fun. Like a symphony, the work has four movements—and in each one, Hindemith takes a tune by Weber and transforms it (hence the “metamorphosis”) into something very different. The first is a boisterous entrance march, the second (based on Weber’s Turandot) becomes a fabulous, jangling mock-oriental workout for the full percussion section. There’s a cool, melancholy interlude (“Andantino”) before the jubilant final “Marsch” sweeps home, cymbals crashing in true all-American style.