Hans Gál (1890–1987) wrote extensively for the viola, first as a major composer in the German-speaking world in the 1920s and ’30s, and then as a leading cultural figure in post-War Edinburgh, where he had taken refuge after the Nazis seized power in his native Austria. This second volume of his music for viola spans four decades, with four trios from before and after that dislocation, each with its own background, sound-world and personality, although they are unified by Gál’s gift for melody, counterpoint and poised, elegant chamber writing.

“recordings like this one let us hear the merits of Gál’s music, regardless of how they fit the fashions of the time.… Violist Hanna Pakkala performs these works with great understanding. Her playing yields a rich, singing tone that highlights the inherent lyricism of Gál’s music.” – Ralph Graves, Charlottesville Classical (Vol.1, TOCC0535)

“raise your glass of whatever to this fine composer whose time has surely arrived. Performances are uniformly expert and often invigorating; Toccata’s documentation and sonics want for nothing.” – Richard Hanlon, MusicWeb International (Vol.1, TOCC0535)