Hans Gál was born in what is now Vienna. He received his doctoral degree in music and was a lecturer in Music Theory at the University of Vienna from 1918 to 1929. He served as the Director of the School of Music in Mainz and conducted concerts in Vienna until he fled the Nazis in 1938. He eventually settled in Edinburgh, where he became a well-known and respected figure in the city’s musical life as composer, performer, scholar and teacher. He was also involved in establishing the Edinburgh International Festival and received numerous honors for his service to music. Gál wrote operas, symphonies, chamber works, and some choral music; he edited the complete works of Johannes Brahms. His works were regularly performed in Britain, Europe and the US during his lifetime.