Notes and Editorial Reviews
Reviewing the MusicMasters incarnation of this joint Virgin-MHS venture in Fanfare 12:5, David Johnson called it "just about flawless," and marveled at the "sheer splendid improbability of this kind of playing." It's hard not to agree: from the scorching to the sentimental, from the decadent to the delightful, Hough catches the full stylistic range of these miniatures without a trace of condescension. Indeed, his tendency to ruffle the textures and to complicate the rhythmic flow strips coats of varnish from the music so that even the more familiar pieces sound revitalized. This is, in sum, the best playing I've heard from Hough (although I've not yet heard his Hummel); and the simultaneous arrival of this disc and
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Philip Fowke's superb transcription album (reviewed elsewhere) gives pianophiles good reason to rejoice.
– Peter J. Rabinowitz, Fanfare [11-12/1989], reviewing one of the two discs in this set, Virgin 90732 Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Fantasiestücke (2), Op. 17: no 2, Hexentanz by Edward MacDowell
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1883; Germany
2.
Polish Songs (6) for Piano (Chopin), S 480: no 1, Maiden's wish by Franz Liszt
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1847-1860; Weimar, Germany
3.
Songs (3), Op. 3: no 2, Now sleeps the crimson petal by Roger Quilter
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1904; England
Notes: Transcribed: Stephen Hough
4.
The Fuchsia Tree by Ernö von Dohnányi
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
5.
Concert Etudes (6) for Piano, Op. 28: no 6, Capriccio in F minor by Ernö von Dohnányi
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1916; Budapest, Hungary
6.
Humoresques (6) for Piano, Op. 14: no 1, Menuet célčbre by Ignace Jan Paderewski
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1887-1888
7.
Miscellanea for Piano, Op. 16: no 4, Nocturne in B flat major by Ignace Jan Paderewski
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: circa 1888
8.
Etudes (2) for Piano, Op. 1: no 2 in A flat major by Paul de Schlozer
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
9.
Melody in E major, Op. 8 by Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
10.
Caprice-Burlesque by Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: Russia
11.
The Sound of Music: My favorite things by Richard Rodgers
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1959; USA
12.
Indian Love Lyrics (4): no 1, Kashmiri Song "Less than dust" by Amy Woodforde Finden
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1902; England
Notes: Transcribed: Stephen Hough
13.
Music Box, Op. 33 no 3 by Ignaz Friedman
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: Poland
14.
Carnival of the animals: no 13, The swan by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1886; France
Notes: Transcribed: Leopold Godowsky
15.
Papillons by Moritz Rosenthal
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
16.
Java Suite: Gardens of Buitenzorg by Leopold Godowsky
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1924-1925; USA
17.
Waltz for Piano in A major, Op. 2 by Mischa Levitzki
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
18.
En route, Op. 9 by Selim Palmgren
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: Finland
19.
Morceaux (3) for Piano, Op. 42: no 2, Siciliano by Moritz Moszkowski
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Germany
20.
Caprice espagnol, Op. 37 by Moritz Moszkowski
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Germany
21.
Variations brillantes, Op. 14 by Carl Czerny
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Classical
22.
Enchanted Nymph by Mischa Levitzki
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
23.
Spanisches Liederspiel, Op. 74: no 10, Der Kontrabandiste by Robert Schumann
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1849; Germany
Notes: Transcribed: Carl Tausig
24.
Melody by Anton Rubinstein
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Russia
25.
Gargoyles, Op. 29 by Lowell Liebermann
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1989; USA
26.
Musical snuffbox by Vladimir I. Rebikov
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
27.
Musical snuffbox, Op. 32 by Anatole Liadov
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: by 1893; Russia
28.
Etude de style, Op. 40 no 1 "Agilite" by Jean Henri Ravina
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
29.
Indian Love Lyrics (4): no 2, Till I wake by Amy Woodforde Finden
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1902; England
Notes: Transcribed: Stephen Hough
30.
Elizabethan Lyrics (7), Op. 12: no 1, Weep you no more by Roger Quilter
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1908; England
Notes: Transcribed: Stephen Hough
31.
The King and I: March of the Siamese Children by Richard Rodgers
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1951; USA
Notes: Transcribed: Stephen Hough
32.
Valse mignonne by Moritz Moszkowski
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Germany
33.
Serenata for Piano, Op. 15 no 1 by Moritz Moszkowski
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Germany
34.
Sonata for Violin solo no 2 in A minor, BWV 1003: Bourée by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Baroque
Written: 1720; Cöthen, Germany
Notes: Transcribed: Camille Saint-Saëns
35.
Triakontameron: no 25, Erinnerungen by Leopold Godowsky
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1920; USA
36.
L'arlésienne: Suite no 1 - 3rd movement, Adagietto by Georges Bizet
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1872; France
Notes: Transcribed: Leopold Godowsky
37.
Hungarian Gypsy Melodies by Carl Tausig
Performer:
Stephen Hough (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 19th Century
Sound Samples
2 Fantasiestücke Op. 17: II. Hexentanz
6 Chants polonais (Chopin) S480: I. Mädchens Wunsch
Three Songs Op. 3: 2. Now sleeps the crimson petal (arr. Hough)
Six Songs Op. 25: 2. The Fuchsia Tree (arr. Hough)
Six Concert Etudes Op. 28: VI. F minor (Capriccio)
Humoresques de concert Op. 14: I. Menuet célčbre in G major
Miscellanea Op. 16: IV. Nocturne in B flat
Etude in A flat Op. 1 No. 2
The Sound of Music: My Favourite Things (arr. Hough)
4 Indian Love Lyrics: I. Kashmiri Love Song (arr. Hough)
Le Carnaval des animaux: The Swan (arr. Godowsky)
Java Suite, Book 3 - The Gardens of Buitenzorg
Variations brillantes Op. 14
Spanisches Liederspiel Op. 74: Der Kontrabandiste (arr. Tausig)
Two Melodies Op. 3: No. 1 in F
Gargoyles, Op. 29: I. Presto
Gargoyles, Op. 29: II. Adagio semplice, ma con molto rubato
Gargoyles, Op. 29: III. Allegro moderato
Gargoyles, Op. 29: IV. Presto feroce
A Musical Snuffbox Op. 32
Etudes de style Op. 40: I. Agilité
4 Indian Love Lyrics: II. Till I wake (arr. Hough)
Seven Elizabethan Lyrics Op. 12: 1. Weep you no more (arr. Hough)
The King and I: March of the Royal Siamese Children (arr. Hough)
3 Sonatas and 3 Partitas BWV1001-1006: Tempo di Bourrée from Violin Sonata No. 2 (arr. Saint-Saëns)
Triakontameron: XXV. Erinnerungen (Memories)
L'Arlésienne: Adagietto (arr. Tausig)
Ungarische Zigeunerweisen
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 
( 2 Customer Reviews )
Brilliant and exciting. December 13, 2012
By Jan V. (New York, NY) See All My Reviews
"As in my heading I have found the album just mesmerizing...agile fingers, sensitivty and sparkle.Liermanns Gargoiles just mind blowing,wonder why one never hears this music in concerts....a must have album,Jan Venter Johannesburg South Africa."
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Wow! December 11, 2012
By Nedra P G. (Larchmont, NY) See All My Reviews
"Brilliant sensitive pianist. Don't miss this one if you're addicted to great pianistic demonstrations! It covers most of the great sensitivities of the piano world.....his touch is truly remarkable, too. Build a fire in your fireplace and sit back to sip a glass of wine with someone you love."
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