The excitement of “Kenneth Woods Week” (I’m told it that I’d better not start thinking it’s Kenneth Woods week here at Vftp headquarters if I know what is good for me) continues @The Well-Tempered Ear with Part I of Jacob Stockinger’s interview with me on the music of Hans Gál. Jake and I covered a lot of ground, including what Gál’s music has to offer the listener:
“How would you describe the music of Gal and what makes it original and appealing or noteworthy?
There are certain qualities that immediately stand out to anyone who hears a Gál work played well: he is a great melodist, a consummate and imaginative orchestrator and his music is always lyrical and attractive. (Editor’s note: Just listen to the excerpt at the end of this post.) The language feels familiar, and everything works. In that sense, his music is immediately accessible and rewarding.
However, Gál’s music really shows its depth and richness over repeated encounters. Its surface simplicity belies incredible craftsmanship and sophistication. Its genial tone hides really profound emotional content. It is music that tantalizes and draws you back, and where there is always something new to discover – things that seem straightforward, like return statements of a melody, have layers of detail that are always shifting.”
Be sure to read the whole thing at The Well-Tempered Ear, and while you are there, have a good scan of the whole blog- a fanstastic resource not only for Southern Wisconsin, but for all music lovers.
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