Catalogue

Summary:

“…the works recorded here all display a determined individuality and sureness of purpose that is rare in music of the 20th century. …Leon McCawley proves to be a totally sympathetic and insightful interpreter. A remarkable achievement” ★★★★★ – BBC Music Magazine

“could hardly be bettered: virtually every bar betrays a level of perception that would surely have warmed the composer’s heart … a surprise journey that should encourage many a return visit, especially in performances as consistently sympathetic as these” – Gramophone

“thoughtful, exciting, technically superb” – London Evening Standard

Hans Gál penned scores of effortlessly pleasing and melodic music which is rarely heard today. A “continental Briton”, he fled the Nazi regime and settled in Edinburgh in 1939 where he lived until his death at the age of 97. In Germany and Austria he achieved early recognition as a composer, his work championed by Georg Szell. After emigrating, his life was devoted mainly to academia and authoring numerous books on music. There has been a recent upsurge of interest in his work, and this 3-CD set of his complete works for solo piano, including numerous world-premiere recordings, champions the cause. Exquisitely performed by pianist Leon McCawley – his second recording for Avie following his Gramophone Editor’s Choice recording of Schumann Piano Works (AV 0029) – this collection carries the endorsement of Hans Gál’s estate.

Gramophone Editor’s Choice

Tracklist:

HANS GÁL (1890–1987)

CD 1
1. – 4. Sonata, Op. 28 (1927) * (18:20)
5. – 9. Suite, Op. 24 (1922) * (14:16)
10. – 12. Sonatina No. 1 Op. 58 (1951) * (10:26)
13. – 16. Sonatina No. 2 Op. 58 (1949) * (11:48)
17. – 19. Three Sketches Op. 7 (1910-11) * (6:18)
20. – 22. Three Small Pieces Op. 64 (1933) * (8:55)
23. – 25. Three Preludes for Piano Op. 65 (1944) * (8:38)
Total time CD 1: 78:47

CD 2
1. – 24. Twenty-four Preludes Op. 83 (1960) (50:02)

CD 3
1. – 24. Twenty-four Fugues Op. 108 (1980) * (59:54)
Total time: 3:08:43

* world premiere recordings
Recorded 10 – 13 November 2004 and 26 – 28 March 2005, at Potton Hall, Suffolk
Recording producer: Simon Fox-Gál