[Cover graphic]

Compact Disc CDA66963

£13.99

Without a spirit of childhood in the listener, the music of the Catalan Federico Mompou can seem almost infantile. The style the composer himself calls 'primitivista' involves no bar lines, key signatures or other such paraphernalia of 'organized' composition, and at first sight owes much to Satie. However the latter's cynicism here finds expression in genuine innocence and wonder.
The titles of the four complete sets recorded here give some impression of what is to be expected: Cants Mágics, Charmes … but these titles can also be unhelpful, implying order when none is meant; the Cancións y Danzas are not part of a set as such, and the six examples here span some three decades.
All of these miniatures (the longest is under six minutes) capture a world that is at once very real (Mompou describes his 'favourite place' as being the 'solitude of all large towns') and yet somehow set at a distance from the mundane through piano writing of plain and unpretentious vision.

Recorded in St George's, Brandon Hill, Bristol, on 22, 23 July 1996
Recording Engineer
TONY FAULKNER
Recording Producer
ANDREW KEENER
Post-production Assistant
OLIVER RIVERS
Piano prepared by
PHIL SANDERS
Design
TERRY SHANNON
Executive Producers
JOANNA GAMBLE
NICK FLOWER
© Hyperion Records Ltd, London, MCMXCVII

Duration: 76'48
DDD
Front illustration: Coxcombs by Ben Moore

Contents:

  1. Canción y Danza 7 1944   [2'36]
  2. Prelude 1 1928   [1'33]

    Cants Mágics 1917

  3. Energic   [1'29]
  4. Obscur   [1'52]
  5. Profond: Lent   [2'01]
  6. Misteriós   [1'42]
  7. Calma   [2'29]

  8. Canción y Danza 5 1942   [3'26]
  9. Prelude 5 1930   [1'28]

    Charmes 1920/1

  10. ... pour endormir la souffrance   [1~32]
  11. ... pour pénétrer les âmes   [1'27]
  12. ... pour inspirer l'amour   [2'15]
  13. ... pour les guérisons   [1'26]
  14. ... pour évoquer l'image du passé   [1'14]
  15. ... pour appeler la joie   [0'52]

  16. Canción y Danza 8 1946   [3'23]
  17. Prelude 7 ('Palmier d'étoiles) 1931   [2'33]

    Trois Variations 1921

  18. THEME   [0'20]
  19. les soldats   [0'46]
  20. courtoisie   [0'49]
  21. nocturne   [2'00]

  22. Canción y Danza 3 1926   [3'28]
  23. Prelude 9 1942   [2'01]

    Dialogues I, II 1923

  24. Plaintif   [2'26]
  25. Modéré   [2'34]

  26. Canción y Danza 1 1921   [4'09]
  27. Prelude 10 1944   [1'37]

    Paisajes 1942-1960

  28. La fuente y la campana   [3'23]
  29. El Lago   [5'29]
  30. Carros de Galicia   [3'28]

  31. Canción y Danza 9 1948   [4'34]
  32. Prelude 6 (pour la main gauche) 1930   [5'25]
Sleeve Notes
Comentarios en Español

GRAMOPHONE EDITOR'S CHOICE
GRAMOPHONE AWARD WINNER
PENGUIN GUIDE ROSETTE
DIAPASON D'OR

'In the hands of an imaginative pianist like Stephen Hough this other-worldly, almost eremitic [music] becomes revelatory. He catches Mompou's wistful moods to perfection' (Gramophone)

'It's a rare thing for an artist's programme notes to vie in quality with his playing. There is simply no better description of this music, nor any more persuasive, imaginative and spiritually attuned performer of it. Fascinating, hypnotic, mystical. Commended' (BBC Music Magazine)

'In his skilfully planned and superlatively played programme Stephen Hough achieves a vivid sense of contrast, of temporal and spiritual reflection. His rare empathy for such music is reflected in Hyperion's cloudless recording' (BBC Record Review)

'Pianism of a very high order indeed, backed up by a recording of beautiful limpidity. Spellbinding music, immaculately performed' (Classic CD)

'Ce CD est une parfaite introduction à une oeuvre aussi passionante que difficile à cerner. La prise de son d'une qualité exceptionelle de rondeur et de naturel' (Répertoire, France)

'A real treat ... utterly compelling playing with a recording to match' (Gramophone)

'Altogether outstanding in every way' (Gramophone)

'Perhaps the most significant piano release of the year' (The Independent)

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