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Hans Gál · Works catalogue

Sonata for Piano

Op. 28192718'

Overview

"Written in 1927. At that time, as always and even now, I was fascinated by the inexhaustible impossibilities of writing for the piano, but at that time I could ask more of my hands than I can today. Incidentally, it is not merely called a sonata, it really is one, with a concentrated, tightly-knit structure; the form of the four movements is completely clear. You couldn't fail to notice that the third is a set of variations, and similarly that the theme of the Rondo grows out of the last bar of the variation theme. Another thematic link is found in the first bar of the first movement: the falling fifth B flat-E flat which it contains is in the motif of the Scherzo, and also in the first bar of the variation theme in the Andante. It will amuse you to hear me confess that I have only just noticed this on looking at the score: when you write in one go, you invent organically, whether you want to or not."
Hans Gál, 1962.

Movements

Tranquillo e semplice, Quasi menuetto, Andante un poco sostenuto, Allegro con spirito

Listen

Sonata for Piano

  1. Tranquillo e semplice1:00

    CD 1 · Track 1

  2. Quasi menuetto - allegro molto1:00

    CD 1 · Track 2

  3. Andante un poco sostenuto - molto tranquillo - agitato1:00

    CD 1 · Track 3

  4. Allegro con spirito1:00

    CD 1 · Track 4

Recordings

Hans Gal Complete Works for Solo Piano, Leon McCawley

Hans Gal Complete Works for Solo Piano, Leon McCawley

Leon McCawley (piano)

Avie

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Programme & recording details

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

Scores & texts

Publication & availability

Publisher
Simrock (1927), now Boosey & Hawkes
Availability
Available from Boosey&Hawkes: in print (M221120861)

Where to buy or listen

Read & keep

Work information is separate from the performing score.

Performances

First performance

Hans Gál, Breslau, Mar. 1928, Vienna

Other performances

Hans Gál, Breslau, Apr. 1928
Stuttgart Radio, Jun. 1928,
Petra Göring, Vienna, Dec. 1929
Hans Gál, Basle, Feb. 1930; Mainz, Dec. 1930; München Radio, Jun. 1950
Wanda Zachra-Stadler, Vienna, Feb. 1935, Feb. 1936
Köln Radio, Jul. 1949
Mainz, Sept. 1980
Leon McCawley, Surrey, Birmingham, 2001; Stratford-upon-Avon, Apr. 2002
Sarah Beth Briggs, Edinburgh, Sep. 2018