Hans Gál: Violin Concerto · Violin Sonatas

Hans Gál • Thomas Albertus Irnberger (violin); Evgeni Sinaiski (piano); Israel Chamber Orchestra; Roberto Paternostro (conductor)

About this release

Austrian violinist Thomas Albertus Irnberger pairs Hans Gál’s 1932 Violin Concerto with two of his chamber sonatas: the early Sonata in F‑sharp minor Op. 17 and an unpublished Sonata in D from 1933. The concerto embraces late‑Romantic breadth and contrapuntal ingenuity, while the sonatas reveal a more intimate side of Gál’s artistry. Roberto Paternostro leads the Israel Chamber Orchestra in an idiomatic rendering of this long‑neglected concerto, and Evgeni Sinaiski partners Irnberger in the expansive sonata movements.

Where to buy or listen

• Presto Music product page (CD/download)
• HBDirect (CD)
• Presto Music streaming (streaming)

What critics said

The Ionarts blog singled out this Gramola disc in its round‑up of notable releases, noting that Irnberger, Paternostro and the orchestra bring extra lyrical sweetness that makes the concerto soar and recommending the recording to admirers of late‑Romantic Viennese repertoire【327607121668569†L34-L53】. Read the entry at Ionarts. Other sources, including a Gramophone magazine note quoted on Presto, describe Irnberger as a persuasive advocate for this lyrical, light‑filled concerto and praise the balance between the concerto and sonata performances.

Further context

The Violin Concerto was composed during Gál’s final years in Vienna and premiered by star violinist Adolf Busch, but it fell into obscurity after the composer’s emigration. This recording restores the concerto to its rightful place alongside the sonatas, offering a rounded portrait of Gál’s writing for violin. The combination of concertante and chamber pieces underscores the composer’s melodic invention and the performers’ commitment to rediscovery.