In the Night
Stephen Hough
CDA 67996 - 0034571179964
Hough begins with Schumann’s troubled, reeling ‘In der Nacht’ from Fantasiestücke, and continues with Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata and Chopin’s two Op 27 Nocturnes.
With Schumann’s Carnaval we eavesdrop on one of the most vibrant parties in the nineteenth-century piano literature, with its panoply of brilliantly etched character sketches depicting both real people—such as Chopin and Paganini—and imaginary ones. Each movement is vividly contrasted; there are moments of unbridled ecstasy, elegant poise and elusive subtlety.
Also included is Stephen Hough’s own Piano Sonata No 2 ‘notturno luminoso’, which he describes as ‘about a different kind of night … the brightness of a brash city in the hours of darkness; the loneliness of pre-morning; sleeplessness and the dull glow of the alarm clock’s unmoving hours; the irrational fears which are only darkened by the harsh glare of a suspended, dusty light bulb'.
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1Fantasiestücke, Op. 12, Book 2: No. 1, In der Nacht04:09
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2Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2I. Adagio sostenuto05:08
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3Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2II. Allegretto01:53
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4Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2III. Presto agitato07:05
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5Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 105:13
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6Nocturne in D-Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 205:30
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7Piano Sonata No. 218:23
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8Carnaval, Op. 9I. Préambule. Quasi maestoso02:12
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9Carnaval, Op. 9II. Pierrot. Moderato01:31
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10Carnaval, Op. 9:III. Arlequin. Vivo01:02
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11Carnaval, Op. 9IV. Valse noble. Un poco maestoso02:10
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12Carnaval, Op. 9:V. Eusebius. Adagio01:37
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13Carnaval, Op. 9VI. Florestan. Passionato00:59
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14Carnaval, Op. 9VII. Coquette. Vivo01:37
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15Carnaval, Op. 9VIII. Réplique. L'istesso tempo00:48
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16Carnaval, Op. 9IX. Papillons. Prestissimo00:47
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17Carnaval, Op. 9X. ASCH–SCHA (Lettres dansantes). Presto00:51
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18Carnaval, Op. 9XI. Chiarina. Passionato01:29
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19Carnaval, Op. 9XII. Chopin. Agitato01:21
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20Carnaval, Op. 9XIII. Estrella. Con affetto00:29
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21Carnaval, Op. 9XIV. Reconnaissance. Animato01:55
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22Carnaval, Op. 9XV. Pantalon et Colombine. Presto01:01
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23Carnaval, Op. 9XVI. Valse allemande. Molto vivace00:51
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24Carnaval, Op. 9XVII. Paganini (Intermezzo). Presto01:21
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25Carnaval, Op. 9XVIII. Aveu. Passionato01:20
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26Carnaval, Op. 9XIX. Promenade. Comodo02:39
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27Carnaval, Op. 9XX. Pause. Vivo00:15
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28Carnaval, Op. 9XXI. Marche des Davidsbündler contre les Philistins. Non allegro03:30