The bulk of this second volume of CPO's Hindemith orchestral cycle, repackaged from earlier individual releases, explores his concerted works--which turn out to be quite a few, even though he did not always identify them as such. CD 1 offers the 1921 Film Music, which in the mocking grandiosity of its opening is curiously reminiscent of George Antheil. The bright coloring and frenzied pacing of Kammermusik No. 1 (1922) make it the most consistently arresting among the set of seven. Much calmer moods prevail in 1927's Five Pieces for String orchestra, to be followed by some not very interesting music composed in 1932 for the Plon Boarding School's music students. The disc ends with Hindemith's quaint arrangements of 16th-century French dances.

CD 2 begins with Hindemith's astringent Kammermusik No. 2 (1924) for piano and 12 Instruments, which features endlessly busy piano writing, flawlessly rendered by Siegried Mauser. Konzertmusik for Piano, Brass, and Harps of 1930 offers a far more reflective mood accented by the seductive sounds of the harp as well as some menacing brass interjections. CD 3 smartly collects Hindemith's three works for cello and orchestra, allowing for a broad overview of his compositional evolution: from the late-romantic surgings of the Op. 3 concerto of 1916, to the angular and dissonant Kammermusik No. 3 of 1925, to the brass-drenched, post-Mathis der Maler lyricism of the 1940 Cello Concerto. All three works are masterfully rendered by cellist David Geringas.

CD 4 returns Siegfried Mauser to center stage both for The Four Temperaments, Hindemith's coldly beautiful 1940 ballet for piano and strings, as well as the 1945 Piano Concerto, written in his wonderfully rich and sonorous late orchestra style, with a brilliantly virtuoso piano part to boot. Mauser, as before, excels in both works. CD 5 presents two more Hindemith ballets, both of which feature substantial solo parts for the piano. The early Der Dämon (1922) is striking in its heavy rhythmic emphasis and stern countenance. The greatest contrast imaginable comes with the serene opening strains of Hérodiade, composed in 1944 to Mallarmé's poem. Both the narrated and purely orchestral versions are presented here.

Werner Andreas Albert has fully absorbed Hindemith's unique orchestral style, and it shows in the remarkably consistent and idiomatic sound he draws from all three of the featured orchestras. While most of these works are available separately in competing recordings (such as Tortelier and the BBC Philharmonic's Four Temperaments and Cello Concerto, and Riccardo Chailly's brilliant and bracing Concertgebouw recording of the complete Kammermusik), this set allows for a more comprehensive overview at an attractive price. CPO's first-class sound naturally reflects the venue in question: brighter in Australia, bigger and more reverberant in Frankfurt. Hindemith fans have rarely been so fortunate. [5/6/2001]

--Victor Carr Jr.