Gál – Shostakovich

Hans Gál & Dmitri Shostakovich • Briggs Piano Trio

About this release

This evocative programme pairs Hans Gál’s Piano Trio in E major Op. 18 (1914–19) and his Variations on a Viennese Heurigen Melody Op. 9 with Dmitri Shostakovich’s wartime Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor Op. 67. Gál’s trio blends Viennese lyricism with taut sonata craftsmanship, while the variations pay affectionate tribute to a popular tavern tune. In contrast, Shostakovich’s trio reflects the grief and turmoil of 1944. The Briggs Piano Trio – Sarah Beth Briggs (piano), David Juritz (violin) and Kenneth Woods (cello) – capture both the sunny elegance of Gál’s music and the searing intensity of Shostakovich’s masterpiece.

Where to buy or listen

• Avie Records release page (CD)
• Online streaming & download (various platforms)

What critics said

A review on Classical‑music.com commended this coupling for illuminating the stylistic gulf between Gál’s pre‑war idiom and Shostakovich’s wartime expression, praising the Briggs Piano Trio’s supple phrasing and conviction across both composers’ works. Read the article at classical‑music.com. Another review on Arcana.fm applauded the trio’s conviction and spacious sound, making this disc a recommended listen.

Further context

Gál’s trio was completed during the First World War but remained largely unpublished until long after his death; its sunny opening, poetic slow movement and playful scherzo offer a glimpse into a lost Vienna. The Heurigen variations pay homage to the city’s musical life. Juxtaposing these works with Shostakovich’s tragic masterpiece invites reflection on two very different 20th‑century experiences. The Briggs Trio’s imaginative programming and insightful playing have been widely acclaimed.