Symphony No. 1

Product Description

With this release, Kenneth Woods and the Orchestra of the Swan make musical history by completing the first-ever recorded cycle of the Symphonies of Hans Gál! The Vienna-born composer s Symphony No. 1 was written in 1927, when he was at the height of his powers, belying the turbulent central European events that would forever affect him in the coming years.
The music is bold, uninhibited, and persuasive, the writing is virtuosic and
the orchestration is colorful. Gál s First Symphony reflects the essence of
his compositional voice, to which he remained true throughout his nearly
century-long life. As today s most committed champion of Hans Gál s music,
which remained relatively dormant throughout the 20th century, Kenneth
Woods has captured the imagination and introduced a new generation to Gál s wide-ranging and extensive oeuvre.

Review

Hats off to conductor Kenneth Woods and his Orchestra of the Swan, who have been making a case for Gál s elegantly built orchestral pieces ... Here s hoping this is the beginning of a substantial Gál revival. --NPR, All Things Considered