‘[Hough] brings focus and variety to each of these aural morsels, amply rewarding the concentration required on the part of the listener. Mompou’s folk-inflected idiom, pervaded as it is by Catalan traditions, poses few challenges to 21st-century ears either harmonically or rhythmically. Rather the ear is drawn to discernment of the various manifestations of naivety in this ‘primitivist’ palette. The clarity and simplicity of Hough’s approach allows one to readily perceive the warp and woof of Mompou’s rhetorical loom. Another aspect of Hough’s interpretations that seems more developed than in the readings of many of his colleagues is the air of mysticism with which all four of the books are imbued. Those interested in Spanish musical traditions, as well as aficionados of the reticent but never less than sincere Mompou, will surely be grateful’ (Gramophone)

‘Hough is the ideal guide. He wholly inhabits the music’s mystical atmosphere, its holy simplicity. Exquisite sensitivity is matched by a steely strength. Sounds coalesce and insist on their presence, before disappearing into the ether. Austerity blends with warmth. It is, wrote the polymath Hough, ‘the music of evaporation’; his performance is one of perfectly judged understatement’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More

‘I was deeply moved. How would I describe it? Completely new … monumental in some ways in its outlook [and] hard to compare with anything else that I’ve listened to. I was quite blown away. It feels as though one opens a door to a new world going into this music, a three-dimensional new world … there is something just genuinely mesmerizing about this and the way Stephen Hough plays it. The combination of objective skill, intellectual clarity and his use of colours—it’s luminous, the way he can make the piano sing and sparkle; I think his gifts are endless’ (BBC Record Review)

‘For repertoire like this, a pianist with a delicate touch is essential, and Hough’s subtleties are never-ending. Through minute gradations of dynamics or the fragile sculpting of a phrase, the sparest and simplest of these pieces assume a rare beauty … do give it a listen’ (The Times)» More

‘Having earned his credentials on an earlier disc of Mompou, Hough has returned to the composer with more exquisitely judged playing. With individual headings such as 'Placide', 'Très calme' and 'Tranquillo', these miniatures might be thought to limit a pianist’s scope, but Hough’s precision and crystalline sound quality pay dividends. It is an irony of Mompou’s music that the durations of these pieces should be so tiny, yet their visionary quality seems to invoke far distances of time and space’ (Financial Times)

‘Hough, who once wrote that Mompou’s art is ‘the music of evaporation’, appropriately plays as if in a trance, permitting these miniatures to drift along on their own power, coming to inconclusive conclusions. Experiencing the complete cycle of these pieces—which runs some 68 minutes—is to immerse oneself in an inner world that manages to maintain its grip on one’s attention over the long haul’ (San Francisco Classical Voice, USA)» More

‘As evidenced by the late work of Britten and Shostakovich, it takes a huge amount of skill to write very simple, spare music. Anyone can spill notes garrulously onto the page but to fine them down to bare essentials is a life’s work. The music of Federico Mompou displays just such mastery over the simple … there are few better guides to lead the listener into those hidden depths than Stephen Hough … Mompou’s music is always going to be something you either like or you don’t. If you fall into the latter camp then even a performance as profound and beautiful as this is unlikely to persuade you otherwise. If, on the other hand, you don’t yet know this music, then start here. For lovers of Mompou, this is as deep a descent into the well of this music as you will come across’ (MusicWeb International)» More

„Hough spielt introspektiv, nuancenreich und durchwegs so, dass man als Zuhörer der suggestiven Kraft dieser Musik völlig erliegt. Man beobachtet das Glashaus und versucht ja nichts zu verpassen“ (Pizzicato, Luxembourg)

„Mit einem durchsichtig-kristallinen Ton, der gleichwohl zu unzähligen dynamischen und farblichen Schattierungen fähig ist, gelingt es Stephen Hough, den meditativen, aber nicht entrückten Charakter „Música callada“ darzustellen wie auch ihre zahlreichen musikalischen Anregungen anklingen zu lassen. Eine hervorragende Aufnahmetechnik sorgt dafür, dass schon bei mäßigem Volumen ein sehr reich gestaffeltes Klangbild sich entfaltet. So wird Mompous Zyklus nicht nur zu einem Destillat der musikalischen Einflüsse, unter denen der Komponist zu seinem Personalstil und akustischen „Fingerabdruck“ fand. Man hört gleichsam auch die Resonanzen, die diese verschiedenen Musiken im Komponisten angeregt haben. Und umgekehrt kann man jede einzelne dieser geschliffenen Miniaturen als Impuls für die eigene Klangmeditation nehmen. Und vielleicht erahnen, was die Essenz von Musik ist“ (Musik An Sich, Germany)

'Música callada' er skitser. Korte, indadvendte musikalske tanker, der har retning nedad. Men der er alligevel spor af catalansk-spansk flamboyance under den cool overflade, og med den australskbritiske pianist Stephen Hough ved tangenterne får man de skrøbelige satser spillet til perfektion. Klangligt meget smukt forløst på det altid kvalitetsbevidste engelske plademærke Hyperion … har du aldrig hørt om Mompou, er Houghs nye indspilning af alle fire bøger af 'Música callada' en chance. Hjemme hos mig kører albummet i konstant rotation' (Politiken, Denmark)