Stephen Hough: old-school virtuosity without the showmanship

By Phil Parker, 01 December 2024

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“greatness is not a matter of scale so much as fully-achieved intention”

Reviewed at Crucible Playhouse, Sheffield on 29 November 2024

Chaminade, Automne

Chaminade, 6 Pièces humoristiques for Piano, Op.87: Autrefois

Chaminade, Les sylvains (The Fauns), Op.60

Schumann, Fantasie in C major, Op.17

Hough, Sonatina Nostalgica

Chopin, Piano Sonata no. 3 in B minor, Op.58

Schumann, Waldszenen: Vogel als Prophet, Op.82 no.7

Sherman, Mary Poppins: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (arr. Hough)

Sir Stephen Hough, Piano

Hindoyan and Hough bring a new dream team to Liverpool

Glyn Mon Hughes, 27th November

Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto comes alive as Stephen Hough joins Domingo Hindoyan and the RLPO in an explosive performance of this dramatic work.

*****

Majestic Brahms from Sir Stephen Hough and Elim Chan in Sydney

Zoltán Szabó, 17th May

Elim Chan expertly conducts the SSO through a varied programme featuring an Australian fanfare, Russian ballet music and Brahms' First Piano Concerto with Sir Stephen Hough.

****1

A knight-errant on the road: Sir Stephen Hough at the Barbican

Christopher Woodley, 4th December

Sir Stephen Hough continues his advocacy of Chaminade with three of her miniatures and gives passionate performances of Schumann' and Chopin.

****1

Sir Mark Elder and the CBSO challenge expectations

Simon Cummings, 16th October

Together with soloist Sir Stephen Hough, the CBSO and Sir Mark Elder reinvent Brahms’ First Piano Concerto, present the complex non-narrative of Janáček The Fiddler's Child and suggest real happiness in Shostakovich’s Sixth Symphony.

****1

Stephen Hough plays his entertaining piano concerto in Manchester

Peter Connors, 15th May

Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé are flawless in Dvořák, Butterworth and Elgar, while Sir Stephen Hough joins the ranks of virtuoso pianists performing their own concertos.

*****

Rafters rattled: Hough and Wigglesworth at the BBC Proms

Mark Pullinger, 18th July

Sir Stephen Hough launches the Proms' Rachmaninov celebrations with a winning rendition of the composer's First Piano Concerto.

****1

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Phil Parker

Phil is a retired A-level English teacher who is now able to devote his life to things he really wants to do with his time. These include, but are not limited to: writing short fiction (his first collection, Girl with Fan, was published in late 2023), singing, creating programme notes for his choir’s concerts, volunteering, cooking, reading, and attending all home games at his beloved Manchester City. Alongside these is listening to classical music (live, on disc and on the radio), a lifetime’s love of which was sparked at the age of 11 when he discovered Haydn.

Stephen Hough in recital: old-school virtuosity without the showmanship