Stephen Hough

Stephen Hough loves heated discussions, bowler hats and finding unlikely connections between contrary composers. He received the 2010 Royal Philharmonic Society Instrumentalist Award and boasts a host of other performing prizes, but interestingly considers composing to be a central part of his life. His international concert schedule is too crowded to detail in full, but his performance of all four of Tchaikovsky’s works for piano and orchestra at the 2009 BBC Proms cannot pass unremarked. The complete Renaissance Man, he also finds time to keep his Twitter entries current and write his biweekly blogs about everything from performance practice to the Papacy.

With typical lateral inventiveness Hough has devised a journey from the dangerous familiarity of Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata to a work many regard as Liszt’s greatest composition, through the twisted paths of two Scriabin sonatas that Hough calls “hyperventilated, hypercrazy, ecstatic works”.

This surprising journey is enriched with a work written by Hough himself, jointly commissioned by Musica Viva for this tour. It will comprise “small, concentrated pieces on a related theme... fragments of a kind of tragic, wasted nature trying to capture a feeling of despair and sadness in as little time as possible”.

Listen here to educator Genevieve Lang in conversation with Janine Burrus in the Musica Viva Concert Special on 2MBS-FM 102.5, broadcast on 16 October.  Genevieve unpacks the music performed by Stephen Hough during his concert tour.

  2MBS Musica Viva Concert Special October 2011 by musicaviva

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Hobart Mon 26 Sept, 8pm
Melbourne Tues 27 Sept, 7pm
Canberra Thurs 29 Sept, 7pm
Melbourne Sat 1 Oct, 8pm
Perth Tues 4 Oct, 7.30pm
Adelaide Thurs 6 Oct, 8pm
Newcastle Sat 8 Oct, 7.30pm
Sydney Mon 17 Oct, 7pm^
Brisbane Wed 19 Oct, 7pm
Sydney Sat 22 Oct, 2pm

*Commissioned by Wigmore Hall and Musica Viva.
Australian Premiere Performance
^Charles Berg Tribute Concert