Even if some still consider him ‘too modern’ today, Paul Hindemith, who was born in Hanau, Hesse, is undoubtedly one of the most influential German composers of the generation after Richard Strauss. Few of his colleagues found their way into the international repertoire to the extent that he did, or influenced subsequent generations through his equally extensive educational work.

All three works for clarinet featured on this recording date from years of extensive travel: the Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano was written in 1938, around the time of his emigration to Switzerland; the Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in 1939, during the course of tours of the USA that immediately followed his emigration; and the Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (written for and premiered by Benny Goodman) in 1947, when Hindemith interrupted his American exile to visit Europe again for the first time after the Second World War.

Sharon Kam has teamed up with her long-standing musical partners Enrico Pace (piano), Antje Weithaas (violin), and Julian Steckel (cello) for the chamber music items on the album, and with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony under the musical direction of Daniel Cohen for the concerto.