Uhl/Wiener Symphoniker - Paul Hindemith: Mathis der Maler

Hindemith conceived Mathis der Maler, his �opera in seven tableaux�, as a reimagining of Matthias Gr�newald�s Isenheim Altarpiece, a depiction of Christ�s intense suffering and crucifixion. Set during the turbulence of the German Peasants� revolt in the early 16th century, the work�s focus is on artistic freedom of expression and human isolation during a time of plague, repression and violence. Hindemith wrote his own libretto finding in Gr�newald a metaphor for his own times. Performances of the opera in Germany were duly banned by the Nazis.