Hans Gál
Encyclopedia
Hans Gál was a composer
, teacher
and pianist
.
Gál was born to a Jewish family in the small village of Brunn am Gebirge
, Niederösterreich, just outside Vienna
. He was trained in that city at the New Vienna Conservatory
where later he taught for some time. While a student he won the K. und K. (Royal and Imperial) State Prize for composition. In 1928, he won the Columbia Schubert Centenary Prize for his Sinfonietta. The next year, with the support of such important musicians as Wilhelm Furtwängler
, Richard Strauss
and others, he obtained the directorship of the Mainz
Conservatory. Gál composed in nearly every genre and his operas, which include Der Artz der Sobeide, Die Heilige Ente and Das Lied der Nacht, were particularly popular during the 1920s. When the Nazis occupied Mainz in 1933, Gál was dismissed as director of the conservatory and his music was banned.
He was forced to leave Germany and eventually emigrated to Britain, where he taught at the Edinburgh
University for many years. His style was rooted in the Austro-German musical tradition of the late 19th century and in his early years, he was influenced by Brahms
. However by the end of the First World War, he developed his own musical language. He did not embrace the Second Vienna School
or twelve tone music
. His later music generally is polyphonic
in structure but does not eschew traditional melody.
Beside opera, Gál wrote many orchestral and chamber music works, which many regard among his finest efforts. Wilhelm Altmann
, the eminent chamber music critic, writes about Gál's first string quartet
, composed in 1916, in his Handbuch für Streichquartettspieler (Handbook for String Quartet Players) as follows:
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
.
Gál was born to a Jewish family in the small village of Brunn am Gebirge
Brunn am Gebirge
Brunn am Gebirge is a town in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria.Excavations from the Neolithic period show that the area was already inhabited 6000 BC and Brunn making it the earliest known farming settlement in Austria. Also Awarengräber that were found in Mödling,...
, Niederösterreich, just outside Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He was trained in that city at the New Vienna Conservatory
Neues Wiener Konservatorium
The Neues Wiener Konservatorium was a music school established in Vienna by Theobald Kretschmann in 1909. In 1929 it had the largest number of enrolled students during its lifetime....
where later he taught for some time. While a student he won the K. und K. (Royal and Imperial) State Prize for composition. In 1928, he won the Columbia Schubert Centenary Prize for his Sinfonietta. The next year, with the support of such important musicians as Wilhelm Furtwängler
Wilhelm Furtwängler
Wilhelm Furtwängler was a German conductor and composer. He is widely considered to have been one of the greatest symphonic and operatic conductors of the 20th century. By the 1930s he had built a reputation as one of the leading conductors in Europe, and he was the leading conductor who remained...
, Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
and others, he obtained the directorship of the Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
Conservatory. Gál composed in nearly every genre and his operas, which include Der Artz der Sobeide, Die Heilige Ente and Das Lied der Nacht, were particularly popular during the 1920s. When the Nazis occupied Mainz in 1933, Gál was dismissed as director of the conservatory and his music was banned.
He was forced to leave Germany and eventually emigrated to Britain, where he taught at the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
University for many years. His style was rooted in the Austro-German musical tradition of the late 19th century and in his early years, he was influenced by Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
. However by the end of the First World War, he developed his own musical language. He did not embrace the Second Vienna School
Second Viennese School
The Second Viennese School is the group of composers that comprised Arnold Schoenberg and his pupils and close associates in early 20th century Vienna, where he lived and taught, sporadically, between 1903 and 1925...
or twelve tone music
Twelve-tone technique
Twelve-tone technique is a method of musical composition devised by Arnold Schoenberg...
. His later music generally is polyphonic
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
in structure but does not eschew traditional melody.
Beside opera, Gál wrote many orchestral and chamber music works, which many regard among his finest efforts. Wilhelm Altmann
Wilhelm Altmann
Wilhelm Altmann was a German historian and musicologist.Altmann was born in Adelnau , Province of Posen, and died in Hildesheim.-Literary works:* Tonkünstlerlexikon, 121926* Kammermusikliteratur, 51931...
, the eminent chamber music critic, writes about Gál's first string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
, composed in 1916, in his Handbuch für Streichquartettspieler (Handbook for String Quartet Players) as follows:
"Those who enjoy Brahms' music should pay great attention to this work although this is not to say that it is merely a copy of Brahms' style. While the Quartet is somewhat in the style of BrahmsJohannes BrahmsJohannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
, it is also indebted to SchubertFranz SchubertFranz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
and to the general musical milieu of 19th century Vienna... the entire work is very finely written and shows good understanding of quartet style."
Sources
- Sadie, Stanley, ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians. London: Macmillan 1980. ISBN 0-333-23111-2.
- Cobbett, Walter WillsonWalter Willson CobbettWalter Willson Cobbett CBE was a British businessman and amateur violinist, and editor/author of Cobbett's Cyclopedic Survey of Chamber Music. He also endowed the Cobbett Medal for services to Chamber Music....
. Cobbett's Cyclopedic Survey of Chamber Music, London: Oxford University Press. With a preface by W. H. Hadow. 1963 2nd edition. - Altmann, Wilhelm. Handbuch für Streichquartettspieler. Wilhemshaven : Heinrichshofen’s Verlag. 1972-1974.
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