Catalogue

Summary:

“could hardly be bettered: virtually every bar betrays a level of perception that would surely have warmed the composer’s heart” Editor’s Choice – Gramophone

“Leon McCawley proves to be a totally sympathetic and insightful interpreter. A remarkable achievement” ★★★★★ – Erik Levi, BBC Music Magazine

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

“wonderfully played by Leon McCawley, in which Gál comes over as a highly refined composer with a sprightly imagination.” ★★★★★ – Andrew Clarke, The Independent

“This set is certainly one of the best things I have heard all year.” ★★★★★ – Tully Potter, Daily Mail

“Leon McCawley’s playing is top-drawer stuff. He’s a model of textural clarity … this is music that deserves to be heard.” – Martin Anderson, Fanfare & Pianist Magazine

“Leon mcCawley’s discerning and faithful interpretations, beautifully recorded. This is top-drawer music fully worthy of investigation, study and enjoyment.” – Colin Anderson, International Piano

“Leon McCawley, with his technical security, his fine tonal shadings and his exceptional rhythmic control, certainly makes the most of Gál’s attractions.” – Peter J. Rabinowitz, International Record Review

“McCawley’s characteristically perceptive playing conveys with the finesse that gives this set added value and lustre.” – Geoffrey Norris, Daily Telegraph

“An exemplar for all recordings of unfamiliar repertoire, I cannot recommend this set too highly.”
– Guy Rickards, MusicWeb International

“Certain classical projects defy compressed description in a few sentences, such is their back-story. Leon McCawley’s three-disc set of Hans Gál’s complete piano music stands prominent among them.” – Andrew Stewart, Music Week

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.

Tracklist:

HANS GÁL (1890–1987)
Complete Works for Solo Piano

CD 1 – Total Duration: 78:47

Piano Sonata, Op. 28 (1927)
1. I. Tranquillo e semplice
2. II. Quasi menuetto – allegro molto
3. III. Andante un poco sostenuto – molto tranquillo – agitato
4. IV. Allegro con spirito

Piano Suite, Op. 24 (1922)
5. I. Präludium – Leggiero e dolce ma non presto
6. II. Menuett – Quasi Andantino, sostenuto e rubato
7. III. Capriccio – Vivacissimo
8. IV. Sarabande funèbre – Large e grave
9. V. Gigue – Allegretto, con umore e vivacità

Sonatina for Piano in C Major, Op. 58, No. 1 (1951)
10. I. Moderatoe cantabile
11. II. Presto ma non troppo
12. III. Leggiero e vivace

Sonatina for Piano in A Minor, Op. 58, No. 2 (1949)
13. I. Allegro con fuoco
14. II. Arioso – Adagio
15. III. Scherzando – Andantino capriccioso, un poco sostenuto
16. IV. Vivace

Drei Skizzen (Three Sketches) for Piano, Op. 7 (1910-11)
17. I. Allegretto vivace
18. II. Lento e dolce
19. III. Vivace

3 Small Pieces for Piano, Op. 64 (1933)
20. I. Humoresque – Allegro ma non troppo
21. II. Melody – Lento, semplice ed espressivo
22. III. Scherzino – Vivace e leggiero

3 Preludes for Piano, Op. 65 (1944)
23. I. Vivacissimo
24. II. Lento e tranquillo
25. III. Presto, grazioso e con anima

CD 2 – Total Duration: 50:02

24 Preludes for Piano, Op. 83 (1960)
1. No. 1 in B Major – Allegro
2. No. 2 in B Minor – Con spirito ma non presto
3. No. 3 in E Flat Major – Vivace
4. No. 4 in E Flat Minor – Quasi Andantino, alla danza
5. No. 5 in G Major – Allegretto
6. No. 6 in G Minor – Moderato
7. No. 7 in C Major – Andante
8. No. 8 in C Minor – Allegro pesante
9. No. 9 in E Major – Vivace
10. No. 10 in E Minor – Grave
11. No. 11 in A Flat Major – Andante grazioso e scherzando
12. No. 12 in A Flat Minor – Con moto
13. No. 13 in D Flat Major – Adagio
14. No. 14 in C Sharp Minor – Presto
15. No. 15 in F Major – Traquillo con moto
16. No. 16 in F Minor – Allegro con fuoco
17. No. 17 in A Major – Quasi Andantino
18. No. 18 in A Minor – Allegro maestoso
19. No. 19 in D Major – Andante
20. No. 20 in D Minor – Allegro agitato
21. No. 21 in F Sharp Major – Allegro piacevole
22. No. 22 in F Sharp Minor – Allegro energico
23. No. 23 in B Flat Major – Allegretto
24. No. 24 in B Flat Minor – Allegretto

CD 3 – Total Duration: 59:54

24 Fugues for Piano, Op. 108 (1980)
1. No. 1 in C Major – Allegro con spirito
2. No. 2 in C Minor – Moderato
3. No. 3 in D Flat Major – Andantino
4. No. 4 in C Sharp Minor – Allegro moderato
5. No. 5 in D Major – Allegretto
6. No. 6 in D Minor – Andantino
7. No. 7 in E Flat Major – Allegro con spirito
8. No. 8 in E Flat Minor – Andante un poco sostenuto
9. No. 9 in E Flat Minor – Molto moderato
10. No. 10 in E Minor – Allegro ma non troppo
11. No. 11 in F Major – Allegro moderato
12. No. 12 in F Minor – Poco lento
13. No. 13 in G Flat Major – Dolce e tranquilo
14. No. 14 in F Sharp Minor – Andantino
15. No. 15 in G Major – Allegretto scherzando
16. No. 16 in G Minor – Con moto
17. No. 17 in A Flat Major – Allegro con brio
18. No. 18 in A Flat Minor – Andante mesto
19. No. 19 in A Major – Vivace
20. No. 20 in A Minor – Allegro moderato
21. No. 21 in B Flat Major – Allegro piacevole
22. No. 22 in B Flat Minor – Quasi Andante, grave sostenuto
23. No. 23 in B Major – Allegro energico
24. No. 24 in B Minor – Andante espressivo

Total 3CD Set Duration: 03:08:43

Leon McCawley, piano

Recorded 10–13 November 2004, and 26–28 March 2005, at Potton Hall, Suffolk
Recording Producer and Engineer: Simon Fox-Gál