THE HANS GÁL SOCIETY SYMPHONIES APPEAL

Appeal for Funding

The Hans Gál Society is currently embarking on its biggest and most important project yet: a première recording of Gál’s four symphonies by Northern Sinfonia, conducted by Thomas Zehetmair. Each Gál symphony is to be paired with a Schubert.

Gál’s symphonies span 46 years, from the First, composed in 1927, to the Fourth, composed in 1973. Whilst Gál’s chamber and keyboard music is becoming more widely available through new recordings, his symphonic work is as yet virtually unknown, and just waiting to be discovered. Gál’s 2nd in particular, composed in Edinburgh during the dark War years of 1942/43, is his weightiest symphony, and has not been heard for over half a century.

We feel that the Zehetmair/Northern Sinfonia combination offers exceptional quality - Zehetmair’s six years as Musical Director have transformed Northern Sinfonia into a world-class orchestra, and the pairing of Gál with Schubert provides an ideal context in which to reach a far wider audience than would otherwise be possible, as well as making total artistic sense.

The Gál Society has to find the necessary funding for the Gál, but is not paying for the Schubert.

While the project as a whole cannot be done without considerable cost, it has the advantage of being entirely modular, and can therefore be undertaken in stages, as funds permit. With the help of generous donations we have secured the necessary funding to enable the First and Second Symphonies to be recorded, but still need funding in order for these landmark recordings to be released – hopefully in 2011.

If anyone feels able to make a donation, or would like to suggest a possible source of funding, please get in touch with the Society:

email address:

Postal address:

Tanya Fox
Administrator
The Hans Gál Society
16 Blacket Place
Edinburgh EH9 1RL

Tel. 0131 6678819

Cheques to be made payable to ‘Hans Gal Society Appeal’, please.

We will happily provide more information about our funding appeal and about the four symphonies.

Thank you!