Some of Stephen Hough's most exquisite recordings come from his collaborations with EMI and Virgin Classics during this early period, offering a taste of the pianist's impeccable touch, his musical and intellectual rigor, and his fondness for the short showpieces that filled late 19th-century salons and peppered the 78 rpm records of golden-age pianists. In the two all-Liszt recitals, Stephen Hough is also in his element, creating atmospheric colors, with notes flowing like streams of pearls, shaping and magnifying the dramatic depth of these works. From Mozart to Schumann, Brahms to Britten, looking back at the great virtuoso tradition while looking forward through his own arrangements, Stephen Hough presents, through these early recordings, a fascinating portrait of a young artist whose brilliant, artistic intellect and appetite for creativity remains unmatched today.
P**A
Misleading title!
"The Erato Years"?Nonsense!Should be titled "The Virgin Classic Years"
D**A
A Fantastic Re-issue Set of the Superb English Concert Pianist on Warner Classics - (1987-1998)
Stephen Hough: The Erato Years - (1987-1998) - ERATO/WARNER CLASSICS - 9 CDS - (2021) - CD I - (TT: 59:00 - Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21, K467, 'Elvira Madigan and No. 9, K271, 'Jeunehomme,' Hall Orchestra, Bryden Thomson - (1987); CD II - The Piano Album I - TT: 62:54 - (1986) Selected Compositions by MacDowell; Chopin; Quilter; Dohnanyi; Paderewski; Schlozio; Gabrilowitch; Rodgers; Worde-Finden; Friedman; Saint-Saens; Rosenthal; Godowsky; Levitzki; Palmgren; Moszkowski; CD III - Franz Liszt - (1987) - Mephisto Waltz, No. I, S514; Annees de pelerinage - 'Venezia e Napoli,' S162; No. 3 - Tarantella; Rhapsodie espagnole, S254; Folies d'Espagne et jota aragonisa; Harmonies poetiques et eligieuse, No. 3, S173 NO 4 - Pensee des morts; 2 Legendes, S175; No. 1 - St. Francois d'Assose la predication aux oiseauc; Harmonies poetiques et religieuses, III, S173; No. 3 - Benediction de Dieu; CD IV - Robert Schumann - TT: 73:12 - (1988) - Davidsbundlerstanze, op. 6; Album fur die Jugend, op. 68, part 2, Nos. 21, 26, 30; Fantasie in C major, op. 17; CD V - TT: 51:00 - (1989) - Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, op. 83 - BBC Symhpony Orchestra, Andrew Davis, conductor; CD VI - TT: 79:56 - (1990) - Britten: Music for Solo Piano - Holiday Diary, op. 5; 3 Character Pieces; Night Piece; Sonata romantica; 12 Variations for Pianno; 3 Waltzes; Music for 2 Pianos; 2 Lullabies for 2 pianos; Mazurka elegiaca for 2 p-ianos, op. 23 (w. Ronan O'Hara, second piano); CD VII - TT: 66:38 - (1990) - Franz Liszt - An Italian Recital -Ave Maria, IV, S545; Annees de pelerinage - Third annee - 'Italie,' S163, Nos. 2, 3, 4, Recueillement, S 204; la lugube gondola, S200 - (1882 and 1885 versions); No. 7 - Ave Maria fur die grosse Klavierschule von Lebert und Stark, S182 - 'Die Glocken von Ron; CD VIII - TT:63:54 - (1991) - Piano Abum 2 - Selected compositons by Czerny; Levitzki; Schumann; Rubenstein; Liebermann; Rebikoi; Lyadov; Rarrna; Wooddforte-Finden; Quiter; Rodgers; Moszkowski; J. S. Bach; Godowsky; Bizet; Tausig; CD IX - TT: 48:48 - (1989) - Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, op-. 15 - BBC Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Davis, conductor.It is a pure delight to see that Warner Classics has re-issued the Virgin/Erato/EMI discs of the superb English concert piano virtuoso/arranger/scholar/author, Stephen Hough who now records under the Hyperion label. These early recordings certainly reveal Hough's creativity in programming in selecting Mozart and Brahms concertos as well as select solo recitals of Liszt, Schumann, Britten and his wonderful imagination in recording two select cds of unique piano literature which is rarly performed by other concert virtuosos. Piano recitals 100 years ago were unique pairing of select 19th and 20th century romantic and post-Romantic literature along with the 'meat and potatoes' repertoire of Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Schubert and Beethoven. Many of the selections found on these two piano album demand a superb piano technique; of course, Mr. Hough certainly has this wonderful and demanding technique along with his full comprehension of wonderful nuance, expression, a total understanding for the musical phrase and a showmanship for the grad flair for the dramatic which is needed to make 19th century repertoire successful for any listening audience; moreover, a few of Mr. Hough's own very creative arrangements and transcriptions appear in selection pieces especially by Richard Rodgers.For any musician or piano aficionado who do not know of these earlier and wonderful recitals and concertos by Mr. Hough, this is an excellent opportunity now in obtaining these superb and colorful discs.There is a very fine 7 page booklet as written by Melissa Khong which adds to the overall enjoyment of this fantastic 9 cd set.
K**T
contenu
très déçu par les enregistrements: ce coffret est une arnaque.
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