Enough: Scenes from Childhood

Description

'Stephen Hough's memoir had me gripped from the beginning [ .] riveting andrevelatory. Most memoirs give me far more than I want to know - this is therare sort that left me urgently demanding a second volume, a third, a fourth. Iloved it.'-Philip Pullman Stephen Hough is indisputably one of the world's leading pianists, winningglobal acclaim and numerous awards.This memoir recounts his unconventional coming-of-age story, from his beginningsin an unmusical home in Cheshireto the main stage of CarnegieHall in New York aged 21. We read of his early love-affair with the pianowhich curdled, after a teenage nervous breakdown, into failure at school andsix-hours a day watching television, engulfed in dreams, seesawing betweensexual and religious obsessions. We meet his supportive, if eccentric parents -his artistically frustrated father, his housework-hating mother. We read of theteachers who encouraged and inspired, and others who hit him on the headscreaming, "you'll do nothing with your life". Then finding his way back tothe piano, having abandoned plans for an alternative life as a Catholic priest,he flourished at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Juilliard School,beginning his career as an international soloist as this book ends.

One of the most distinctive artists of his generation, StephenHough combines a distinguished career as a pianist withthose of composer and writer. He was named by The Economistas one of Twenty Living Polymaths. He is the winnerof numerous awards and was awarded a knighthood in theQueen's Platinum Jubilee Honours, 2022.Hough has performed with many of the world's major orchestrasand has given recitals at the most prestigiousconcert halls. He has composed works for orchestra, choir,chamber ensemble and solo piano. Author of the award winningand highly praised Rough Ideas (Faber)