Hans Gál

Hans Gál (* August 5, 1890 in Brunn am Gebirge, Lower Austria, † October 3, 1987 in Edinburgh ) was an Austro- British composer.

Life

Gál, son of the physician Josef Gál, studied from 1908 to 1912 composition with Eusebius Mandyczewski, a pupil of Johannes Brahms and 1908-1913 musicology at the University of Vienna. As early as 1909, he was self- employed as a teacher of counterpoint and harmony at the New Vienna Conservatory. In addition, he worked from 1919 as a lecturer in music theory at the University of Vienna. His pupils included the composers Robert and Hans J. Salter Katscher. In 1929 he left Austria to take over as director of the Conservatory of the City of Mainz.

But in 1933, after the handover of power to Adolf Hitler in January 1933, Germany Gál had to leave because he was of Hungarian-Jewish descent. It first appeared then as a conductor in Vienna, he emigrated in 1938 on the basis of the connection of Austria to Nazi Germany to England. In 1940 he was temporarily as Enemy Alien on the Isle of Man interned. In 1945, he finally got a job as a teacher of music theory, counterpoint and composition at the University of Edinburgh. He also led the Edinburgh Chamber Orchestra. After he retired in 1965, he remained the rest of his life in Britain and wrote highly acclaimed books, among other things Brahms, Wagner, Verdi and Schubert.

Awards

Style

Gál developed very early a distinct personal style, where he remained throughout his life. The most important thing for him was composer Johannes Brahms, whose music formed the basis of Gál's style. Gál placed great emphasis on superior mastery of compositional craft. In addition, he was a great melodist and in this respect is in the tradition of Viennese music that emanated from Franz Schubert. In fact, he was an outspoken traditionalist who strictly stuck to the tonality to his last works. Modern tendencies remained alien to him. His musical language is not about Richard Strauss, whose influence occurs particularly in his operas -a-days, and a highly chromate based on the music of the turn of the century harmonic addition. Instead, Gál opened the stronger the musical past that. In the rich polyphony, which betrays the influence of Johann Sebastian Bach, and in the clarity of his musical language which is derived from the study of the Viennese Classical period, expressed Frequently one meets also humorous elements into his music. While he was able to celebrate notable successes before his emigration, he was frowned upon later as unfashionable and ultra conservative, which meant that he gradually fell into oblivion. As a musicologist Gál was V.A. active in the field of Viennese classical music and has provided some important contributions to this subject.

Works (selection)

Works for Orchestra

  • Symphony No.1 in D major op.30 (1930 )
  • Symphony No.2 in F major op.53 (1942 /43)
  • Symphony No.3 in A major op.62 (1951 /52)
  • Symphony No.4 Op.105 " Sinfonia Concertante " for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and orchestra (1974 )
  • Orchestral Suites
  • Serenade for string orchestra op.46 (1937 )
  • Overtures
  • " Music Promenade " for Military Band (1926 )

Works for Mandolin Orchestra

  • Sinfonietta for Mandolin Orchestra No.1 op.81 (1961 )
  • Sinfonietta for Mandolin Orchestra No.2 in E minor op.86 (1965 )
  • " Biedermeier dances " for mandolin orchestra op.66 (1954 )
  • Capriccio (1949 )

Concerts

  • Piano Concerto in C major op.57 (1948 )
  • Concertino for piano and string orchestra op.43 (1934 )
  • Violin Concerto op.39 (1932 )
  • Concertino for violin and string orchestra op.52 (1939 )
  • Cello Concerto in E minor op.67 (1944 )
  • Concertino for cello and string orchestra op.87 (1966 )
  • Concertino for organ and string orchestra op.55 (1948 )

Vocal music

  • " The doctor of the Sobeide ', Opera, Opus 4 (1917 /18)
  • "The holy duck ", opera op.15 (1920 /21)
  • " Two religious songs ," with organ and viola da gamba (cello ) Op.21 (1923 )
  • "The Song of the Night", opera op.23 (1924 /25)
  • " The Magic Mirror ," Christmas Fairy Tale op.38 (1930 )
  • "The two Klaas ", opera op.42 (1932 /33)
  • " De profundis ," Cantata op.50 for solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ (1936 /37)
  • Numerous choral works

Chamber Music

  • String Quartet No.1 in F minor op.16 (1916 )
  • String Quartet No.2 in A minor, op.35 (1929 )
  • String Quartet No.3 op.95 (1969 )
  • String Quartet No.4 op.99 (1970 )
  • String Quintet Op.106 (1977 )
  • Piano Trio in E major op.18 (1925 )
  • Piano Trio op.49b (1948 )
  • Piano Quartet in B flat major op.13 (1914 )
  • Violin Sonata in B flat minor op.17 (1920 )
  • Violin Sonata in D major (1933 )
  • Viola Sonata op.101 (1942 )
  • Cello Sonata in A minor, op.89 (1953 )
  • Sonata for cello solo op.109a (1982 )
  • Clarinet Sonata op.84 (1965 )
  • Trio for Violin, Clarinet and Piano, Op 97
  • Oboe Sonata op.85 (1965 )
  • Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet op.107 (1977 )

Piano music

  • Sonata op.28 (1927 )
  • 2 Sonatinas op.58 (C Major, 1951, A Minor, 1949)
  • Suite op.24 (1922 )
  • 24 Preludes op.83 (1960 )
  • Smaller pieces

Organ Music

  • Toccata Op.29 (1928 )
  • Prelude and Fugue in A Flat (1956 )
  • Imagination, Arioso and Capriccio (1956 )
Neues Wiener Konservatorium Chromatic scale First Viennese School Integrated Authority File
374044
de