Search - Cesar Franck, Stephen Hough :: César Franck: Piano Music

Freshly played Franck

12/02/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's always difficult to play Franck's two masterpieces, "Prelude, Choral et Fugue" and "Prelude, Aria et Finale", since it is not intended to show off a pianist's virtuosity even though technical demands on him/her are still very heavy. Mr. Hough plays these pieces very nicely. His technique is exceptional (For example, listen to his "Finale". Martellato playing is astonishing.). Also I heard his deep affection to these pieces. However, the best is "Troisieme Chorale" by his own transcription. Even though there are many transcriptions for this Franck's swan song, Mr. Hough's transcription seems to be the most well-written. He utilizes a wide range of keyboards in order it to sound like organ, yet plays this really pianistically. In my personal opinion, this can be sitting next to Bach-Busoni's Chacconne in the history of transcriptions for piano, if Mr. Hough allows to publish this."

Marvellous

01/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The pianism of Stephen Hough is stunning. So said a music magazine - I agree. The music is superb, the playing is superb. Hough's transcription of the 3rd chorale left me speechless - the loud, meaty chords at the beginning have more notes in them than I thought it was possible to play all at once! This is a brilliant recording."

I Agree.

06/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I concur with the above reviewers. This is a superb disc on one of the best of the "micro-brewed" classical labels, the British label Hyperion. Hough's performances are excellent, the recording quite good. The piano music of Franck of course is stunning--the first piano music out of Belgium/France to rival Beethoven's. If you want a less pricey disc, I heartily recomment Ashley Wass' permormance on Naxos for about half the price."