Sir Stephen Hough's Recording of Chopin's 'Complete Waltzes' Sets April Release

On April 11, 2025, Hyperion Records will re-release Sir Stephen Hough’s complete Chopin Waltzes, now featuring Sir Stephen’s new recording of Chopin’s Waltz in A minor (Valse). This previously unheard version was discovered in the archives of the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City in 2024, after nearly 200 years — an astounding and monumental discovery for classical music. With the addition of the Valse to the album, Sir Stephen becomes the only pianist to have recorded every single Chopin waltz.

Chopin’s Waltz in A minor (Valse) is shorter than many others in Chopin’s output: only 24 bars with one repeat, and roughly 80 seconds in length. It also includes unusual dynamic markings, including a triple forte near the beginning. Still, multiple unique hallmarks in the score confirm its provenance. According to leading Chopin scholar Jeffrey Kallberg, who wrote the liner notes to the Hyperion release, the Waltz in A minor likely dates from early in Chopin’s career and was initially intended as a gift. In a New York Times article on the discovery, Sir Stephen said that the piece “may be very much a trifle, but it has a charm and preciousness.” Kallberg adds: “In its sense of sophisticated play, in its exploration of melancholy, and in its embrace of sociability, the newly discovered Valse is, despite its brevity, emblematic of Chopin’s achievements in this genre.”

First released in August 2011, Hough’s Chopin: The Complete Waltzes originally featured Chopin’s eight published waltzes, nine unpublished waltzes, and a collection of “doubtful attributions,” arranged chronologically within each section. The album won the prestigious 2011 Diapason d'Or de l'année and was named one of the best recordings of the year by Classic FM magazine. The Guardian praised Hough’s performance for its authority and panache, noting, “His balance between virtuosity and vivid expression is so finely judged that each moment resonates with intensity.” The Times wrote, “Every waltz conveys the feeling of bodies in motion, skirts twirling, and hearts intertwined … you don’t just hear Hough’s fingers; you hear his soul.”

This project follows Hyperion’s release of Hough’s First Piano Concerto with the Hallé orchestra conducted by Sir Mark Elder. The piano concerto, subtitled ‘The World of Yesterday,’ was released February 2025 across worldwide streaming platforms and on CD. The recording was named Editor’s Choice by Gramophone and received widespread acclaim in both the US and UK. Taking advantage of the worldwide resurgence of vinyl, an LP version of the album is set for global release on April 11, alongside the newly completed Chopin Waltzes.

Sir Stephen Hough performs his own compositions in upcoming engagements, including his Sonatina Nostalgica (also featured on the album with his piano concerto) and works by Chaminade, Liszt, and Chopin on March 28 at the ATX Chamber Music Festival in Austin, TX. Also in Austin the following evening, Ensemble ATX performs his String Quartet no. 1 (Les Six Rencontres) on a program that also includes Sir Stephen playing solo works by Chopin and Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F Minor. From April 5-7, he plays his piano concerto with the Oregon Symphony conducted by David Danzmayr, and repeats his recital program at Chamber Music Napa Valley on April 8.  He also performs Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Vancouver Symphony led by Stanislav Kochanovsky, from April 11-13.