The brilliant English pianist Stephen Hough is unquestionably one of the world’s greatest pianists. He embodies the charm, sparkle and flair of legendary pianists of the golden age – ‘the Steinway sang, wept and danced under Hough’s golden touch.’ He combines a distinguished career as a concert pianist with those of a composer and writer. His busy concert schedule sees him performing with the world’s top orchestras and conductors. In 2020 he made his 29th appearance at the BBC Proms performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 2 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. His extensive list of recordings has won four Grammy nominations and eight Gramophone Awards.

This beautifully balanced program includes Rawsthorne’s Bagatelles and Schumann’s Kreisleriana, eight untitled fantasies dedicated to Chopin – ‘never has a poet so poured out his heart’. The second half begins with Stephen Hough’s beautiful Partita followed by four Chopin works – the magnificent Ballade No 3, two famous Nocturnes and the sensational Scherzo No 2 in B flat minor