Sir Stephen Hough, piano

One of the most distinctive artists of his generation and a longtime CAMA favorite, Sir Stephen Hough is a true Renaissance man, combining a distinguished international career as a pianist with those of composer, writer, and painter. Named by The Economist as one of “Twenty Living Polymaths” (a person of great learning and varied expertise), he was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022 and was the first classical performer to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship (“Genius Grant”) in 2001. Sir Stephen brings his trademark eloquence and precision to what will be his fifth Masterseries recital appearance at the Lobero, with music by composers close to his heart. From the mysterious and mystical realms of Mompou and Scriabin to the evocative imagery of Debussy and Hough’s own Partita, Hough leaves his stamp on all of this repertoire. His recital closes with a suite of pieces selected from the second volume of Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage—the famous “Petrarch Sonnets” as well as the astounding “Dante Sonata.”

PROGRAM:

MOMPOU: Cants màgics
DEBUSSY: Estampes, L.100
SCRIABIN: Piano Sonata No.5, Op.53
HOUGH: Partita (2019)
LISZT: From the Italian Book of Années de pèlerinage:
Petrarch Sonnets 47, 104, and 123
Après une lecture du Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata (“Dante Sonata”)