Mirabilis London Choral Sinfonia

• Stephen Hough (b. 1961):
• 1Hough: Just as I am05:42
• 2Hough: Kyrie02:59
• 3Hough: Gloria04:40
• 4Hough: Credo04:56
• 5Hough: Sanctus03:35
• 6Hough: Agnus Dei06:02
• 7Hough: Londinium Magnificat03:28
• 8Hough: Londinium Nunc dimittis02:47
• 9Hough: Ding Dong Merrily on High02:18
• 10Hough: Advent Calendar03:25
• 11Hough: Hark, the Herald Angels Sing03:17
• 12Hough: Silent Night02:55
• 13Hough: The Gate of the Year02:00
• 14Hough: O Sanctissima03:00
• 15Hough: Salve Regina02:24
• 16Hough: Ave Maria03:51
• 17Hough: O soft self-wounding pelican03:41
• 18Hough: I Allegretto tranquillo05:28
• 19Hough: II Allegro giocoso04:41
• 20Hough: Danny Boy03:57
• Total Runtime01:15:06

Info for Mirabilis

Sir Stephen Hough, named one of twenty living polymaths by The Economist, combines a global career as a pianist with that of a composer and writer.

“My father said that by the age of two I had memorized seventy nursery rhymes. That sounds suspiciously like parental exaggeration to me, but I know that singing was my first form of musical expression, especially since there was no classical music in my parents' house. At the age of six, the piano took over... but the singing remained in the background.

»My first twenty years were dominated by composing. Then came almost twenty years of blank paper, during which I wrote next to nothing except concert transcriptions that I could use as an encore. Until I turned passionately back to composing in my early 40s…”

This publication celebrates Hough's compositional work in works for choir and organ performed by the London Choral Sinfonia with organist James Orford and conductor Michael Waldron.

The piano has always been an important part of my life. At the age of 4 I began lessons with a piano teacher who lived around the corner, next door to my grandmother. At home I would sit for hours playing – never the pieces I was meant to be practising or learning – but just about anything I could get my hands on. It taught me to be a good sight-reader, even if it didn’t instil the discipline required to reach the starry heights of a successful soloist!

Like any other piano student, Stephen Hough was, to me, a hero. I devoured his prolific catalogue of recordings. From Schubert to Bowen, I savoured every note. By my teenage years, I was just about competent enough to delve into his Rodgers & Hammerstein transcriptions, which occupied many happy hours. I must confess I never quite conquered any of them, but I still return to them, even to this day.

I rarely play the piano in public now, but it is still my first true musical love and I often sit at home and play simply for pleasure and relaxation, even if it’s staggering through a Hough transcription. This recording project was first introduced to me by my colleague and friend, Matthew Trusler, at Orchid Classics. We often bat ideas back and forth – not all of which can come to fruition – but as soon as Stephen’s name came up, I was excited and knew this was something worth pursuing. I devoured the scores and fell in love with all of them. Alas, there was too much music for one album, but a part of me wonders (and hopes) that the catalyst for Volume 2 may be somewhere in the ether.

The old adage says you should never meet your heroes. I will proudly testify that to be rubbish. Stephen was actively involved throughout the recordings and was relentlessly supportive and encouraging towards our efforts. Our performances were undoubtedly enhanced by his input, and I hope that this recording goes some way to providing an adequate realisation of these world-class compositions. (Michael Waldron)

James Orford, organ
London Chorale Sinfonia
Michael Waldron, conductor

No biography found.

Booklet for Mirabilis