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Hans Gal (1890-1987)<\/strong> Robert Schumann (1810-1856)<\/strong> Orchestra of the Swan<\/strong> Recording- December 6-7, 2011, Civic Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon For more details, please go to the Bobby \u00a0and Hans home page.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n “…consummate craft in a mostly consonant, mellifluous style seemingly little touched by the great tragedies of the 20th century or his personal troubles…Mr. Woods and the orchestra do a fine job of revealing the qualities of this peculiar master.”<\/em> “a wonderful outpouring, at once deeply personal and vividly outgoing. Energy and eloquence\u00a0combine for a score that simply stays fresh, thrilling and entrancing… Kenneth Woods and his willing band of Swans give a superb performance, lithe, neat, nimble, poetic (the glorious slow movement really touches the heart) and passionate. A chamber performance it may be, but there\u2019s no lack of power and passion when required and it\u2019s also a reading studded with detail ….\u00a0Woods and Swan are right up there, charting this marvelous work with a very special dedication and insight.”<\/em> \u201cWhat an exquisitely crafted piece Hans G\u00e1l\u2019s Fourth Symphony is\u2026\u00a0a work that succeeds splendidly on its own terms\u2026Another triumph then for Kenneth Woods and the Orchestra of the Swan.\u201d<\/em> \u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThroughout his career, G\u00e1l felt himself to be in the Brahmsian tradition, though his music seldom sounds particularly Brahmsian. Yet Brahms himself\u2013 usually so niggardly of praise for the efforts of the younger generation\u2014would surely have found warm words of admiration for G\u00e1l\u2019s Symphony no. 4\u2026Schumann\u2019s C major Symphony.. receives a first-rate performance.. with a wonderful sense of expansiveness and profound and delicate feeling in the slow movement\u201d<\/em> “Woods proves in this recording to be\u00a0a front rank conductor, capturing the “Didn’t you think it was very well-played? Because I don’t think anyone “All those many things going on form a coherent discourse in this performance\u00a0[Schumann] Another ingredient is how\u00a0they build fearlessly not only to one\u00a0climax but to an overall climax for the\u00a0whole work… truly poetic.. But let me\u00a0harp again on the divine madness \u2013 the insane glee, the visceral delight… like\u00a0any number of recordings of Bernstein\u00a0or Furtwangler… In this performance\u00a0the speed is not hectic but ecstatic.\u00a0YES! Divine madness, like this, must\u00a0be experienced. On top of this, you get \u00a0the Hans Gal Fourth, written in\u00a01975, when it would have seemed\u00a0“backward” in idiom -ha! Give it a\u00a0chance: it will come to move you\u00a0deeply. And it’s hard to imagine a\u00a0better performance. If my blog had a star system, this disc would certainly\u00a0get 5 of them.” ” Woods continues his distinguished\u00a0G\u00e1l cycle recorded at Stratford-on-Avon…a worthy endeavour, which\u00a0should keep the name and music of\u00a0holocaust survivor Hans G\u00e1l (1890-1987) before the public as long as\u00a0CDs continue to be bought\u2026” “G\u00e1l is worth getting to know and the Swan does \u00a0it proud, giving also a\u00a0spruce and eloquent performance of\u00a0Schumann’s Second. Four stars” “Schumann\u2019s C major symphony\u00a0shares the Gal\u2019s combative spirit, as it\u00a0was written in the 1840s when the composer was battling depression. In\u00a0his own words it represents the \u2018power of resistance of spirit\u2019. Woods\u00a0conducts it with profound romanticfeeling, the repeated statements never\u00a0repetitive, the conscious striving neverself-conscious. It may yet prove to be a\u00a0landmark\u2026\u201d
\nSymphony no. 4, opus 105 (“Sinfonia Concertante”)<\/p>\n
\nSymphony no. 2 in C major, opus 61<\/p>\n
\nDavid Le Page- violin, Christopher Allan-cello, Diane Clark-flute, Sally Harrop- clarinet<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nProduced, engineered and edited by Simon Fox-Gal
\nReleased March, 2011
\nAvie Records (AV2231)<\/p>\nCritical Reaction:<\/h2>\n
\nJames R. Oestreich, The New York Times<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nColin Anderson,\u00a0Classical Source<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nGavin Dixon,\u00a0Classical CD Reviews<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nInternational Record Review, Calum MacDonald<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nfeeling of sorrow and compassion of\u00a0the symphony [G\u00e1l}. Woods has
\nseized on the essence of this\u00a0Schumann Symphony. His reading is
\nsmooth, grand and exciting… one of the best recordings available. Highly
\nRecommended- five stars”
\n<\/em>Zan Furtwangler, Audiophile\u00a0Audition<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\ncould do better than that”
\n<\/em>Chris De Souza: BBC Radio 3 CD\u00a0Review<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Musicologist Bernard D Sherman<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Peter Grahame Woolf, Musical\u00a0Pointers<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Geoffrey Norris, The Saturday\u00a0Telegraph<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Rick Jones, Words and Music<\/strong><\/p>\n