Beethoven: The Piano Concertos - Stephen Hough (3 CDs)

‘It is a tribute to the quality of Stephen Hough’s musicianship that the new cycle’s most memorable performance should be that of Beethoven’s Janus-like Third Piano Concerto, the one—on record at least—that has often proved the most elusive … a soloist whose fineness of touch and sharpness of delineation recall those of such predecessors as Solomon and Gilels’ (Gramophone)

‘Hough’s individualities of phrasing and subtleties of pedalling are all contained within a relatively Classical sense of order. He brings splendour to the greater grandiosity of the Emperor Concerto, but never seems tempted to inflate it into a prototypical Rachmaninov as some of his eminent predecessors have. Lintu steers a judicious course between Romantic indulgence and ‘authentic’ briskness in his choice of tempos and draws crisp, bright textures from what sounds like relatively modest orchestral forces’ (BBC Music Magazine)

Piano Concerto No 1 in C major Op 15[33'18]
CD1
1
Allegro con brio[14'10]
2
Largo[10'17]
3
Rondo: Allegro[8'51]
Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major Op 19[28'17]arr. Stephen Hough (b1961)
4
Allegro con brio[13'47]
5
Adagio[8'10]
6
Rondo: Allegro molto[6'20]

Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor Op 37[36'37]
CD2
7
Allegro con brio[17'04]
8
Largo[10'03]
9
Rondo: Allegro[9'30]
Piano Concerto No 4 in G major Op 58[35'08]
10
Allegro moderato[19'42]
11
Andante con moto[5'03]
12
Rondo: Vivace[10'23]

Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major 'Emperor' Op 73[38'53]
CD3
13
Allegro[20'53]
14
Adagio un poco moto[7'23]
15
Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo[10'37]

Hearing Stephen Hough over the course of one of music’s most exhilarating odysseys is not an opportunity to be missed, especially when that odyssey encompasses the five piano concertos of Beethoven. Recorded following a cycle of live performances in Helsinki, this magnificent set is sure to be recognized as one of Hough’s most important recordings.