Hindemith, HIHN duh muhth or HIHN duh mihth, Paul (1895-1963), was a German-American composer and music theorist. His compositions are noted for their use of musical forms of the past, a new approach to tonal harmony, and contrapuntal textures (see Counterpoint). Many of his works belong to the neoclassical style that emerged after World War I (1914-1918).