Donaueschingen 1924-1926
Already at the third Chamber Music Days in 1923, Hindemith was counted as a member of the music committee as the successor to Eduard Erdmann, but it was only in 1924 that he became involved in the planning of the event. It was thanks to his initiative that works by Arnold Schönberg and Anton Webern were first performed at Donaueschingen in 1924.
During the next two years, the music committee tried to make the programmes of the Music Days more attractive by intentionally calling for compositions of specific genres. The presentation of contemporary choral music was at the centre of the Music Days in 1925. The programme focus for 1926 was music for military orchestra, music for mechanical instruments and again choral music.
Despite their high artistic standards, the Music Days were always festivals as well, as which people could celebrate in high spirits. Else Thalheimer-Lewertoff, programme director of the Cologne Society for New Music, reminisces as follows: «With the evening events of the music festivals, the days never seemed to end. There were constant celebrations, planned and improvised, and the fun always lasted a long time, usually all through the night. There were always some mischief-makers who were ready to play the craziest pranks.»
Hindemith was one of the greatest comedians: he played his best improvisations on the piano, composed parodies like the «Minimax» repertoire for military orchestra for string quartet and participated in buffooneries and masquerades. Numerous comical drawings were made in convivial rounds.
