All The Kings Horses

Paul Hindemith was one of the most under appreciated composers of the 20th-century. Talented and prolific, Hindemith was also a viola virtuoso of the highest order and premiered William Walton's Viola Concerto. More than any other composer, Hindemith understood the viola and wrote some of its most challenging repertoire.
This recording features Australian composer and viola virtuoso Brett Dean in four of Hindemith's finest pieces for the instrument. The two most memorable pieces are the Kammermusik Op. 5 and 'Der Schwanendreher.' The Kammermusik Op. 5 pits the viola against a large chamber orchestra and showcases the solo instrument's warm middle range. 'Der Schwanendreher' is a delightful viola concerto with themes based on old German folksongs. Dean is an excellent soloist and conquers the most pressing technical demands that Hindemith makes of the soloist. Dean's treatment of these exciting pieces should forever dispel the myth that Hindemith was a dry, pedantic composer