Stephen Hough - Masterclass

Masterclass Programme:

Bach/Busoni - Chaconne in D minor, BMV 1004

Granados - Goyescas, Op. 11

Liszt/Gounod - Valse de l’opera Faust

Whether this piece is supposed to be played in the style of Bach or Busoni, of composer or arranger, has always been a controversy. To some (for which I take the stand of) think that since the piece is adapted into a new set of soundworld, framework and rules; the piece no longer is the original work of the composer. What is the point of reminiscing the how one should make the piece sound as though played by a single violin, when it is clearly meant for the whole orchestra? What is the point of having a foot in the past and the other in the present? However, this does not mean that the original composer should be disregarded; of course the performer has the duty to learn about the original work and find out what the arranger extracted from the piece and how the fragments or ideas were developed. Essentially, it would not be apt to play Busoni while having the Baroque touch and conservatism, something I feel was not what Busoni would have desired the performer to bring out in his arrangement. Rather, what he elicited from the Chaconne in D minor by Bach was the immensity of the polyphonic texture and harmony, which I feel is a constant throughout the arrangement. What the performance of the Chaconne, though accurate and meticulous, was rather contained and lacked the feeling of extremity and vastness that was central to the piece. Stephen Hough brought up a few points as to how to make the piece sound more massive. The first is the rhythm; instead of playing a single dotted note, he suggested double dotting in such as to give the music a greater impetus, enhancing its energy and mood, giving it more of a ceremonious feel (also a common practice [Bach’s] for French Overtures). In the softer sections, there should be more intensity and concentration in the sound produced.

In both the Granados and the arrangement by Gounod of Liszt, Stephen Hough emphasised the need to recognise the more crucial parts in the music, so that if intentional color change or dynamic difference is implemented, it will be more clearly identified and effective. I personally felt the performance of the Granados was impressive as there were clearly moments of well-thought out artistry and immense flexibility in the performance, something rare amongst students. (As Stephen Hough commented, “once you pass a certain level, there is nothing a teacher can say...do you have anything else to play?”) In the arrangement of Liszt, the rhythm once more, plays an important role in the up-keeping of the exuberant and flamboyant character of the music. It would not be sufficient to play the left hand in strict, conventional ¾ waltz rhythm, instead it should be skewered such as the second beat comes in earlier, leaving a wider gap between the second and the third beat, giving the ‘pulse’ in the left hand a greater swing. The fingers should also be kept closer to the keys given that time and energy would be wasted executing unnecessary jumps from the keys.