The RS Event Center team was treated to a delightful opportunity to witness the first live performance by Sir Stephen Hough in Singapore since his induction into knighthood by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his vast contributions in the field of Music.
Sir Stephen’s “Nightscapes” was held on 31st August 2022 at the Victoria Concert Hall and featured the following Programme:
Chopin: Two Nocturnes
Scriabin: Sonata no. 5
Debussy: Estampes
Hough: Partita (2019)
Liszt: Three Petrarch Sonnets
Liszt: Dante Sonata
The first half of the recital was played on a C. Bechstein D282 full concert grand piano – proudly sponsored by Bechstein Music World, a certified RSL supporter – that offered a full-bodied, sparkling and balanced flavour to the two Nocturnes by Chopin, and the Sonata by A. Scriabin, who himself wrote his music on a Bechstein piano.
The C.Bechstein D282 is perfect for venues like the Victoria Concert Hall. Photo Credit: Joey Chew
Top quality since 1853: the C. Bechstein name is synonymous with exquisite grand and upright pianos made in Germany. The C. Bechstein D 282 concert grand piano is a top-class instrument. Thanks to its stupendous and beautiful sound, it’s the ideal grand for large concert halls just like the Victoria Concert Hall.
The C. Bechstein engineers and master piano-makers developed the D 282 model after intensive discussions with international star pianists. This legendary instrument has set new standards with its transparent voice and unparalleled richness of tonal colors. The C. Bechstein D 282 concert grand piano embodies the synthesis of the brand’s legend and the demands of today’s pianists for power and dynamism.
International star pianists confirm the outstanding characteristics of the C. Bechstein D 282 concert grand piano: surprisingly powerful sound, elegant and high-precision action.
Bechstein pianos have been favoured by some of the greatest concert pianists and recording artists, including Leonard Bernstein, Wilhelm Kempff, Dinu Lipatti, Shura Cherkassy, Sviatoslav Richter, Oscar Peterson and Tatiana Nikolayeva. Claude Debussy said “Piano music should only be written for the Bechstein”.
Power, elegance and precision, the C.Bechstein D282 is perfect for venues like the Victoria Concert Hall. Photo Credit: Joey Chew
This illustrious history behind the C. Bechstein pianos was fully apparent in the D282 played by Sir Stephen at the “Nightscapes” recital, which astounded us with the striking clarity from the first notes of the Nocturnes, which carried through the entire tonal range of the instrument; the sparkling brilliance of each note drawing the ear’s interest and keeping our minds glued to Sir Stephen’s performance, and truly highlighting his brilliant playing and mastery of the piano. The Bechstein D282 is indeed a masterpiece of European piano standards!
Sir Stephen rehearsing at the Victoria Concert Hall on the C. Bechstein D282
Named by The Economist as one of 20 Living Polymaths, British pianist Stephen Hough is a true renaissance man – a leading concert pianist, writer, composer and painter. He has won global acclaim for his outstanding interpretations of the piano repertoire.
Sir Stephen himself recorded his album “Brahms 3 Sonatas” on a Bechstein.
Sir Stephen is an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he is a visiting Professor, a Fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he is the International Chair of piano studies, and an Honorary Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was given an honorary doctorate by the University of Liverpool in 2011.