Paul Hindemith: Tuttifäntchen.
Weihnachtsmärchen mit Gesang und Tanz in drei Bildern
von Hedwig Michel und Franziska Becker
Texteinrichtung und Regie: Ralph Schäfer
mit Bele Kumberger (Tuttifäntchen), Herman Wallén (Meister Tuttifant), Nora Lentner (Trudel), Matthias Stier (Peter), Annika Schlicht (Mutter Berthe), Sebastian Bluth (Punoni), Jan Gerrit Brüggemann (Erzähler) sowie Pirmin Sedlmeir, Anton Weil, Ralph Schäfer, Lisa Hrdina, Carolin Schupa, Karla Sengteller
Rundfunkkinderchor Berlin (Carsten Schulze)
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Johannes Zurl
cpo 777802-2 (2013)
The premiere recording of the 1922 Christmas fairytale "Tuttifäntchen" initiated by Johannes Zurl enables us to close a final gap in the discography of Paul Hindemith. This piece, composed shortly before Christmas 1922, tells of a clown-like figure made by the woodcarver Tuttifant that suddenly comes to life. After all manner of turbulence caused by this "Tuttifäntchen", it grows back together with the pine tree out of whose wood it was carved – and peaceful Christmas festivities can begin. In the "Dance of the Wooden Dolls" (a foxtrot) and in the "Music to the Puppet Theatre" one can recognise something of the distinctive musical language of the composer, known in those days as an "enfant terrible". Otherwise, Hindemith's musical inserts are more influenced by the melodies and harmonies of folk music and Christmas carols. The ensemble of singers and the precise but unobtrusive playing of the DSO Berlin recreate the songlike gestures of these pieces of music with the appropriate reserve.
Susanne Schaal-Gotthardt