These five works, from three different stages of Hans GÃ¡l's long life (1890-1987), all show his consummate craftsmanship but are otherwise quite different in character. The passionate Piano Quartet (1914), downstream from Brahms and DvorÃ¡k, brings the grand gestures of Romanticism into the early twentieth century. The 1935 Sonatina in F major for violin and piano, recently rediscovered, and the three Sonatinas from 1956 put a premium on textural clarity and lyrical approachability; here the contrapuntal ingenuity, ceaseless thematic development, harmonic freedom and rhythmic unpredictability of GÃ¡l's language animate the music from within. Newcastle-born pianist Sarah Beth Briggs was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician competition at the age of eleven and studied with Denis Matthews and Edith Fischer. Katalin Kertesz is the leader of the Kertesz Quartet, with which she recently recorded the four string quartets by the nineteenth century Czech composer heinrich Wenzel Veit. Nichola Blakey, viola, enjoys a busy freelance career, giving performances across the UK. Cressida Nash, cello, is a founding member of Musicians South West.

Tracklist:

Piano Quartet In B-Flat Major, Op. 13: I. Allegro Energico Un Poco Sostenuto
Piano Quartet In B-Flat Major, Op. 13: II. Andante Con Moto
Piano Quartet In B-Flat Major, Op. 13: III. Agitato
Piano Quartet In B-Flat Major, Op. 13: IV. Allegro Vivace
Violin Sonatina No. 1 In G Major, Op. 71 No. 1: I. Allegretto
Violin Sonatina No. 1 In G Major, Op. 71 No. 1: II. Tema Con Variazioni
Violin Sonatina No. 2 In B-Flat Major, Op. 71 No. 2: I. Allegro
Violin Sonatina No. 2 In B-Flat Major, Op. 71 No. 2: II. Cavatina
Violin Sonatina No. 2 In B-Flat Major, Op. 71 No. 2: III. Alla Marcia
Violin Sonatina No. 3 In F Major, Op. 71 No. 3: I. Andantino
Violin Sonatina No. 3 In F Major, Op. 71 No. 3: II. Alla Serenata
Violin Sonatina No. 3 In F Major, Op. 71 No. 3: III. Rondo
Violin Sonatina In F Major: I. Allegro Moderato
Violin Sonatina In F Major: II. Lento Cantabile
Violin Sonatina In F Major: III. Allegretto Giocoso

UPC: 5060113444332
Label: Toccata
Release Date: 4.20.18
Format: CD

Gal / Kertesz / Briggs - Chamber Music 3 (CD)