Paul Hindemith

Wir bauen eine Stadt

CONTENT: How does a town intended for children evolve, who lives in it, what forms of transport can be used to get around and how it is also possible that unpleasant moments occur in an urban community? These are all questions which Wir bauen eine Stadt answers in a playful and child-oriented mode. COMMENTARY Since 1926, Hindemith had been pursuing the objective of attracting children and amateur musicians to contemporary music through the composition of especially suitable musical works. In 1927, his musical-educational ambitions led among other projects to the involvement of the youth music movement in his plans for the Baden- Baden chamber music festival in which he was deeply involved in his capacity as member of the programme committee. Neue Musik Berlin 1930, a supplementary event following the Baden-Baden music festival, was to be devoted not only to radio plays, amateur choirs and electric music, but also to the field of 'plays and songs for children'. The play for children Wir bauen eine Stadt was created in collaboration with the Berlin author Robert Seitz who provided the text and was premièred on 21 June 1930 by children aged between eight and twelve years old providing the final work in the concert Neue Musik Berlin 1930. The work swiftly achieved widespread dissemination and was available in a number of different languages within two years of its completion. Hindemith explained his pedagogical concept behind Wir bauen eine Stadt in a preface to the score as follows: 'A play for children: this means that this work was more intended as a lesson and exercise for children themselves rather than for the entertainment of adult audiences. The form of the work can be altered according to the appropriate needs of the group of children involved: songs can be omitted and other musical pieces, dances or scenes inserted. An infinite number of children can participate in this work; apart from the minimum of three players for the 'orchestra', no specific instrumentation is specified. If numerous musicians are available (perhaps also those with instruments which are played in other registers than the pitches indicated in this work), these can be employed doubling at the octave of the two outer parts to achieve a more interesting texture. The music can additionally be livened up by tambourines, drums and other easily playable percussion. [...]' Alongside three instrumental movements, Hindemith's play for children primarily consists of choral songs in verse form for one- and two-voice choir with a few simple individual solo parts. This classic children's theatre composition has up to the present day retained its prominent place within the (school) theatre repertoire. Six pieces from this work were issued in a piano version for children in 1931 under the title: Wir bauen eine Stadt. Klavierstücke für Kinder. (S. Sch.-G.) EDITOR'S NOTE A documentation of national premieres is not possible with Wir bauen eine Stadt. The performance material is on sale at music dealers and performance right is included by purchasing the material, without further involvement of the publisher