Alfred Cortot, whose arrangements are featured on this album, was a legendary Swiss-born pianist, though not primarily a composer.
Compositional Technique
Alfred Cortot's arrangements, such as the Arioso from Bach's F minor Keyboard Concerto, are characterized by concision and directness, with no spare notes.
Album & Artwork
Stephen Hough's album is dedicated to "French delights" and is described by the pianist as "a sort of musical dessert trolley."
Recording & Production
Two different pianos were used for this recording: a Yamaha for some tracks and a Steinway & Sons for others.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Francis Poulenc, a composer featured on this album, expressed deep affection for Chabrier's music, calling it a "treasure house" that consoled him.
Performer Biography
Stephen Hough is recognized as one of the most important pianists of his generation, integrating historical imagination with contemporary scholarship.
Interpretation
Pianist Stephen Hough has added his own subtle changes and clarifications to Alfred Cortot's arrangement of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, bringing the work into the twenty-first century.
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