Hans Gal Complete Works for Solo Piano, Leon McCawley

Hans Gál. The Complete Works for Solo Piano
Leon McCawley

CD1:
Sonata op. 28;
Suite op. 24;
Two Sonatinas op. 58;
Three Sketches op. 7;
Three Small Pieces op. 64;
Three Preludes op.65

CD2: Twenty-four Preludes op. 83

CD3: Twenty-four Fugues op. 108

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

Where to buy or listen

Hans Gál: The Complete Works for Solo Piano

Leon McCawley (piano)

Label: Avie Records

Catalogue number: AV2064

Release year: 2005

About this release

This three‑disc set gathers every solo piano work by Hans Gál. Pianist Leon McCawley traverses the virtuosic Sonata op. 28 and the Suite op. 24, the two Sonatinas op. 58, the early Sketches and the tightly constructed Preludes and Fugues. Gál’s music ranges from the jaunty Menuet and warm Sarabande of the Suite through the classical humour of the Sonatinas to the concise Preludes and Fugues that pay homage to Bach. The result is a comprehensive portrait of the composer’s imaginative and lyrical keyboard voice.

Where to buy or listen

ORCD aggregator page (purchase/streaming)
Presto Music streaming (subscription)

What critics said

MusicWeb International praised Leon McCawley’s “immaculately dextrous and warm‑hearted” advocacy and described the Sonata op. 28 as immediately attractive with melodic openness and a French accent in its scherzo. The Suite’s witty Menuet and warm Sarabande gain gravity before a spirited Gigue, while the Sonatinas balance classical ethos and humour. Early pieces such as the Sketches have drama and drive, the Preludes are concise and pithy with touches of Prokofiev, Chopin and Mussorgsky, and the Fugues are a selfless homage to Bach.

MusicWeb International: “This is a most enjoyable and rewarding set, and strongly recommended”

Gramophone: “Hardly a single track on this admirable and musically worthwhile collection lacks interest, colour or instant appeal.”

This set was also a Gramophone Editor’s Choice.

Classical Source: “The tremendous, final set of fugues in particular, written by Gál as a ninetieth birthday present to himself, achieve great clarity despite the dense textures through the use of highly melodic and attractive music subjects”

The Independent: “This fascinating set gathers all of his piano music, wonderfully played by Leon McCawley, in which Gál comes over as a highly refined composer with a spritely imagination” ★★★★★

BBC Music Magazine: “A remarkable achievement” ★★★★★/★★★★★

International Piano: “An important and intriguing release ... that brings together Hans Gál's fastidious craft and Leon McCawley's discerning and faithful interpretations, beautifully recorded. This is top-drawer music fully worthy of investigation, study and enjoyment”

Daily Mail: “One of Hitler's most unintended gifts to Britain was Hans Gál (1890-1987), who fled here in the later 'thirties. A superb composer, fine pianist and wise all-round musician ... The solo piano music, played here by Leon McCawley and beautifully recorded by Gál's grandson Simon Fox-Gál, ranges in time of writing from 1910 to 1980 ... The 24 Preludes of 1960, which take up disc 2, are alone worth the price ... This set is certainly one of the best things I have heard this year” ★★★★★

Further context

Gál wrote most of these pieces between the 1920s and 1950s. The diversity of forms – Sonata, Suite, Sonatinas, Preludes and Fugues – reveals his command of both late‑Romantic lyricism and neoclassical clarity. This release has helped restore his standing as a major composer for the piano.