Catalogue # CDA67824

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A concerto album from Stephen Hough is always a significant\nevent. For this new recording Stephen travelled to Bergen – Grieg’s\nhome town – to join forces with Andrew Litton and the Bergen\nPhilharmonic Orchestra in performances of Grieg and Liszt that are\nset to become landmark recordings of all three concertos.

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Grieg’s A minor Piano Concerto, with its plethora of great\ntunes, is one of the most popular of all Romantic works, while\nLiszt’s two highly original concertos present unique challenges to\nboth pianist and orchestra. These performances are exciting,\nmagisterial and highly coloured, with breathtaking virtuosity\nharnessed to poetic refinement and finesse – hallmarks of Stephen’s\nplaying that have already helped his concerto recordings to win two\nGramophone ‘Record of the Year’ accolades.

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Stephen Hough and Andrew Litton continue the astonishing success\nof their collaboration in Rachmaninov’s concertos, Hyperion’s\nfastest-selling recording. The Bergen players provide freshly\nidiomatic support in the Grieg and revel in the sumptuous scoring\nof the Liszt. The results are thrilling, and this deserves a place\nin any music lover’s collection, no matter how familiar the\nmusic.

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Released to coincide with the twin anniversaries of Liszt’s\nbirth (200 years ago) and Stephen’s own 50th birthday (in\nNovember), this recording is an apt celebration of both.

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Grieg:
\nPiano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16

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Liszt:
\nPiano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S124
\nPiano Concerto No. 2 in A major, S125

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Stephen Hough (piano)
\nBergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Litton

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