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Schubert's Piano Sonatas, after a century of neglect, are now regarded as being among the most profound musical works ever written. Here Stephen Hough tackles the last, perhaps the greatest, of them – D960 – in a performance of extraordinary depth and beauty. Also included on this well-filled are the earlier masterpiece, D784, and the almost unknown D613 Unfinished Sonata which nonetheless contains much vintage Schubert and some wildly experimental writing. Though entering a highly competitive field, this disc has nothing to fear from its rivals; these are performances sure to join the ranks of the very greatest.

'This is, quite simply, some of the most beautiful Schubert I have heard in years, or (why not come out and say it?) ever. Irresistible. That is, indeed, the word for everything about this superb release … a musician capable of the greatest things ... a performance that ranks with the most celebrated classic and modern versions in or out of the catalogs' (Fanfare, USA)

'Poetic, imaginative, deeply felt and keenly thought … a deeply loving treatment of the piano in performances of exceptional refinement' (The Piano)

'Any pianist who records Schubert must be sure of his ground. Stephen Hough here proves himself a worthy rival' (The Sunday Times)

'It is obvious that Hough identifies deeply with this music … he is temperamentally attuned to its urgent lyricism and, sometimes, heartrendering pathos ... lush tone, subtle pedalling, and a firm grasp of structure’ (American Record Guide)

'[D784] the pulsing triples … haunt the memory, as does the floating treatment of the lyrical subject in the finale' (BBC Music Magazine)

'Hough keeps listeners’ attention through the musical equivalent of whispering … a tribute to his elegant legato touch and phrasing as natural and unforced as breathing ... Hough’s supernal playing and matchless poise make this album an unmitigated success' (CD Now)

'always thoughtful, in places transcendent' (Classic CD)

'His moving performance of the B flat Sonata, marked throughout by refined, discerning pianism and an uncommonly subtle ear for texture ... Hough seeks out the music’s inwardness and fragility, its ethereal, self ... communing remoteness ... [D784] magnificently done … the lyrical music is limpidly coloured and poignantly inflected… Hough’s individual and searching reading of the two great sonatas … take their place alongside the most recommendable in the catalogue' (Gramophone)

'[Hough] combines the imagination and pianistic colour of the past with the scholarship of the present, illuminating the very essence of the music he plays ... a performance of extraordinary depth and beauty' (Pretoria News)

'(A Minor D.784) especially sensitive in its uncertain switching between laughter and tears, a typically Schubertian trait reflected in Hough’s outstandingly delicate touch and his natural phrasing ... These are profoundly musical and deeply thought-out performances' (Sunday Telegraph)

'Stephen Hough has made his name in the post-Romantic repertoire, exploring rarely-known works of interest .... Here in a more familiar repertoire he works wonders through an approach which is particularly sensitive and intelligent. His accompanying notes are particularly valuable.... ' (Répertoire, France)

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Recording details: Various dates; St George's, Brandon Hill, United Kingdom; Produced by Various producers; Engineered by Various engineers; Release date: March 1999;