Paul Hindemith's Der Schwanendreher (literally 'the swan turner') is a viola concerto based on medieval German folk songs. While the 'swan turner' was literally someone who turned the spit of a roasting swan, metaphorically it referred to an itinerant minstrel whose street organ or hurdy-gurdy was cranked via a swan's-neck handle. He composed the work between September and October 1935, and it was premiered at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, with the composer (a virtuoso violist who did much to elevate the instrument's status) serving as soloist. In it, Hindemith creates a musical 'structure' that enhances the solo viola by contrasting it with a uniquely scored tutti ensemble of winds with four cellos and three double basses. After the slow introduction to the first movement comes a section in classic sonata form with orchestration evoking the world and art of minstrelsy. The second movement opens with a sad dialogue between the viola and harp, inspired by an ancient song on lost love; this is followed by a contrasting fugato in which the sadness of the cuckoo (an omen of doom) is alleviated by the musical writing. The third movement features seven variations on the titular 'Schwanendreher' song, whose jovial, light character is skilfully rendered with iridescent rhythmic articulation. A prolific and versatile composer, Hindemith was initially drawn to expressionism and atonal harmony before embracing a neo-Baroque style along his journey towards abstract objectivism. By the ATTENTION: please remember that all Blu-Rays are Region A USA and all DVDs Region 1 USA and you will need a multi region Blu-Ray/DVD player to play them.