SZYMANOWSKI, DEBUSSY, SCHULHOFF, JANÁCEK & SZYMANOWSKI Chamber Music

As the album title suggests, the repertoire on this collection is centered on the concepts of identity, both personal and national. Written between 1904 and 1927, a time that predates, includes then postscripts the WWI era, the diverse works on this collection examines four early 20th century pioneers: Claude Debussy, Leos Janacek, Erwin Schulhoff and Karol Szymanowski. The duo of Noé Inui (violin) and Mario Häring (piano) illustrate these composers search for new sounds, tone colours and forms at a time of great foment and through the duos nuanced thoughtful performances enable listeners to experience anew the many musical worlds that were created during that time.
Release date: 23rd Oct 2015

SCRIABIN & JANÁČEK Sonatas & Poems

The music of Scriabin and Janacek - contrasting and highly eccentric composers dear to Stephen Hough’s heart - make for a perfect recital. The sensual perfumes of the one intertwine with the disruptive obsessions of the other, and Hough the magician tightens his spell.

"Each performance is wonderful in its own right, yet together they don’t quite gel." --Sinfini Music, October 2015 ****

English pianist Stephen Hough has made an ingenious decision to pair Janáček's piano sonata 'From the Street' and his cycle of piano pieces ‘On an Overgrown Path’ with the Fourth and Fifth Sonatas of Alexander Scriabin. Janáček might have turned to Russia for a good book to read, but his music betrays no influence from that quarter. Scriabin was a maverick who never wrote the same phrase twice. And Hough is a chameleon pianist with an infinitely variable sound.

This ought to work, and it almost does. The Janáček interpretations are right as raindrops on a loft window in autumn and the Scriabin has about it a hint of the young Horowitz on the verge of breakdown. Each performance is wonderful in its own right, yet together they don’t quite gel." --Sinfini Music, October 2015 ****