Continental Britons - The Émigré Composers:
Wellesz, Spinner, Goldschmidt, Gellhorn, Tauský, Gál, Seiber, Reizenstein, Rankl.
Ensemble Modern,
Frankfurt
Nurit Pacht with Konstantin Lifschitz
Christian Immler with Erik Levi
Paul Silverthorne
Works by Hans Gál:
Violin
Sonata op. 17
Five songs for middle voice and piano, op.
33
2 CDs: Nimbus NI 5730/1,
NI 5730/2
2004
"The
second CD opens with a glorious Sonata for Violin and Piano in B flat
minor by Hans Gál. This piece, written in 1920, is, for me, hands-down,
the composition competition winner among the entries on this program,
and an extremely important addition to the post-Romantic repertoire. …This
was my first time hearing it, and I was stunned. .... Imagine what Brahms
might have sounded like had he lived another 20 years; then combine that
with Pfitzner and Richard Strauss, and you will have a good idea of what
to expect from the Gál. It’s gorgeous, no doubt about it.
According to the booklet note, Gál wrote four symphonies. I want
to hear all of them, now. Gál’s Fünf Melodien that follow
only reinforce my impression that his was an important voice that cries
out urgently for further hearing."
Jerry Dubins, FANFARE