Rough Ideas: Reflections on Music and More, Hough

Stephen Hough is one of the world’s leading pianists, winning global acclaim and numerous awards for both his concerts and his recordings. He is also a writer, composer and painter, and has been described by The Economist as one of 20 “Living Polymaths.”

Hough writes informally and engagingly about music and the life of a musician, from the broader aspects of what it is to walk out onto a stage or to make a recording, to specialist tips from deep inside the practice room: how to trill, how to pedal, how to practice. He also writes vividly about people he’s known, places he’s been to, books he’s read, paintings he’s seen; and he touches on more controversial subjects, such as assisted suicide and abortion. Even religion is there — the possibility of the existence of God, problems with some biblical texts, and the challenges involved in being a gay Catholic.

Rough Ideas is an illuminating, constantly surprising introduction to the life and mind of one of our great cultural figures.

Stephen Hough, one of the most distinctive artists of his generation, performs with the world’s major orchestras and in recital at the most prestigious concert halls. He has made more than 60 recordings and has composed works ranging from solo piano to orchestral. As an author, he has written articles for The Guardian and The Times (London) and he wrote a blog for The Telegraph for seven years. His first novel, The Final Retreat, was published in 2018.

Author: Stephen Hough
Format: Paperback, 464 pages
Publisher: Picador (2021)
ISBN: 9781250785732