Four Temperaments, Theme and Variations, The

Work for piano and string orchestra by Paul Hindemith, commissioned by the ballet choreographer George Balanchine and composed in 1940. It was first performed (concert) in Boston, USA, on 3 September 1944, with Lukas Foss as the soloist. The first stage production was given by the City Ballet, New York, on 20 November 1946. The four main sections are titled Melancholy, Sanguine, Phlegmatic, and Choleric.