Paul Hindemith

Uncanny Invitation

In addition to the two magnificent string quartet parodies 'Repertorium für Militärmusik Minimax' [Repertory for military music 'Minimax'] (ED 6735) and 'Ouvertüre zum Fliegenden Holländer, wie sie eine schlechte Kurkapelle morgens um 7 am Brunnen vom Blatt spielt' [Overture of 'The Flying Dutchman' as played at sight by a bad spa orchestra at the well at 7 in the morning] (ED 8106), 'Uncanny Invitation' is another merry work by Paul Hindemith, a 'Song with Full Orchestra Accompaniment in the Style of Richard Strauss. Text taken from a Beekeeper's Journal. For soprano and quartet. Strauss' song 'Heimliche Aufforderung' [Secret Invitation] probably was behind the corruption of the title. The text, slightly changed by Hindemith, from the magazine 'Die Biene und ihre Zucht' [Bees and how to keep them] from 1924 inspired Hindemith to make this creation, provided with the invitation 'am Bienenstand (d. h. an der Donauquelle) ... jung zu baden' [to bathe young ... at the apiary (i.e. at the source of the Danube)], to not let oneself be carried away by the ageing Strauss, but by contemporary music.