Performance: Leeds International Piano Series 2024/25 Recital: Stephen Hough

4 March 2025

Programme

First Half

Cécile Chaminade 6 Études de concert: No 2. Automne

Cécile Chaminade 6 Pièces humoristiques: No 4. Autrefois

Cécile Chaminade Les Sylvains 

Franz Liszt Piano Sonata in B minor 

Second Half

Stephen Hough Sonatina Nostalgica 

Frédéric Chopin Piano Sonata No 3

Encore: Sinding: Rustle of Spring

Stephen Hough showed his wide taste and formidable technique in a recital in Leeds Conservatoire. It’s a small theatre which was packed and it’s intimate and immediate with a rich deep acoustic. Space was ideal for the program.

Leeds is becoming a international centre for piano and lieder recitals which have a really special feel. The conservatoire has good facilities and a beautiful acoustic. Partly I suspect arising from the slightly angled wood panels that are at the back of the stage the seats are in a steep block with a few seats in the horseshoe gallery around the piano .

Hough started with three delightful pieces by Cécile Chaminade and these were beautiful and fiery by turns. She is not a composer I know so her presence on the program was really welcome and the audience enjoyed her pieces: they have a real signature of strength and beauty.

Moving from those short pieces to the Liszt Sonata was quite a step. Hough’s tonal control was formidable.

I have to say I’m not a great fan of the piece but to hear it played live in a fine acoustic and a flawless (as far as I can tell) execution, is intense - as Liszt’s recitals were in his day. It’s really clear watching Hough that his fluency does not to interfere with the pacing of the declamatory sections which rang out with no ugliness. Moreover the small space gave him time to emphasise the bass notes and secure a beautiful balance with the top notes of the piano.

After the interval Hough gave us an insight into his life with a small but beautiful set of vignettes describing his home village. This is the kind of music that I think is too often overlooked and certainly it carries an emotional warmth that is welcome in recitals and on record. It was also a great pallet cleanser after the list Sonata.

The recital ended with the Third piano Sonata by Chopin which is well known and loved and in some ways a partner to the Liszt not just because they’re both in the same key.

There’s a tenancy sometimes for some pianists to be overly delicate in Chopin, not realising his structures are as rigourous as any great romantic composer. Hough’s attack were fantastic and reminder that Chopin was a piano symphonist. I really enjoyed it, it was exhilarating and in the slow movement full of poise and purpose.

We had one encore - which was topical - Rustle of Spring by Christian Sinding a delightful piece.

Benjamin Grovesnor is playing later in the series.  I think these recitals are one to watch not least for an informed and well-behaved audience and a really close encounter with the pianist.