Voices in the Wilderness: Works By Hans Gál & Ernst Krenek

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This is in every way a splendid release. — MusicWeb International, April 2015

Release Date: 27th Oct 2014
Catalogue No: MR301145
Label: Melba Recordings
Length: 67 minutes

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Gál, H: Sonata for viola and piano, Op. 101

Work length20:47

$4.00

$5.60

Roger Benedict, Timothy Young

I. Adagio

Track length7:20

$1.50

$2.10

II. Quasi menuetto, tranquillo

Track length6:11

$1.00

$1.40

III. Allegro risoluto e vivace

Track length7:16

$1.50

$2.10

Krenek: Sonata for viola and piano, Op. 117

Work length10:20

$3.00

$4.20

Roger Benedict, Timothy Young

I. Andante

Track length4:54

$1.00

$1.40

II. Allegro vivace

Track length2:13

$1.00

$1.40

III. Andantino

Track length3:13

$1.00

$1.40

Gál, H: Impromptu for viola and piano

Work length4:30

$1.00

$1.40

Roger Benedict, Timothy Young

Krenek: Sonata for Solo Viola, Op. 92, No. 3

Work length13:20

$4.00

$5.60

Roger Benedict, Timothy Young

I. Allegro moderato, energico

Track length4:16

$1.00

$1.40

II. Adagio

Track length2:36

$1.00

$1.40

III. Scherzo - Vivace

Track length2:48

$1.00

$1.40

IV. Chaconne - Allegro con vigore

Track length3:40

$1.00

$1.40

Gál, H: Suite Concertante for Viola, Op. 102a

Work length18:43

$4.00

$5.60

Roger Benedict, Timothy Young

I. Cantabile - Largo

Track length4:09

$1.00

$1.40

II. Furioso - Allegro con fuoco

Track length5:23

$1.00

$1.40

III. Con grazia - Tempo di Menuetto lento

Track length3:52

$1.00

$1.40

IV. Burla - Allegro vivace

Track length5:19

$1.00

$1.40

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‘Voices in the Wilderness’ features three world premieres by Hans Gál - the Sonata for viola and piano op. 101, Impromptu for viola and piano, and Suite for viola and piano op. 102a - alongside music by Ernst Krenek. It’s a disc that Barry Humphries describes as a “miracle”.

Just as both Gál and Krenek were reaching creative maturity they were forced into exile from Nazi Germany: Gál reviled as a Jew and Krenek’s music banned and denounced as ‘degenerate’. Both were inextricably linked to the great musical traditions of their Viennese birthplace but in very different ways.

All the works here date from the 1940s when the two composers were taking their first steps on new soil; Gál in Britain where he settled in Edinburgh and Krenek in Los Angeles (though he was never to recapture there the notoriety generated by his opera ‘Jonny Spielt Auf’). The composers’ personalities shine through every note in Roger Benedict and Timothy Young’s performances; the acerbic and unrelenting focus of Krenek and the whimsy, sunshine and optimism of Gál’s musical fairy-tales.

The album follows the duo’s critically-acclaimed ‘Volupté’ and stands proudly alongside Benedict’s poetic performance of Vaughan Williams’ ‘Flos Campi’ with Mark Wigglesworth and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, both on Melba.

One of the premier violists of his generation, Roger Benedict, is acknowledged for his range as soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, conductor and teacher. He joined the London Philharmonic at 22 and became Principal Viola of the Philharmonia Orchestra at 29. In 2002 he was appointed Principal Viola of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra where he has made a stellar contribution to Australian musical culture. As a soloist, his partners have included Sir Simon Rattle, Lorin Maazel, Leif Ove Andsnes, Julian Lloyd Webber and Osian Ellis.

Timothy Young is one of Australia’s leading pianists. His solo debut recording on Melba was the acclaimed ‘The Virtuoso Piano Music of George Frederick Boyle’. His other Melba CDs are ‘A Lotus Blossoming’ (with Ensemble Liaison), ‘Stravinsky: Diversions’ (with violinist Ray Chen) and, with soprano Cheryl Barker, ‘Pure Diva’.

Reviews

April 2015

This is in every way a splendid release.

Voices in the Wilderness: Works By Hans Gál & Ernst Krenek

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