Rough Ideas: Reflections on Music and More

Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Award for Storytelling 2020

'A rich, endlessly fascinating book.' — Philip Pullman
'One pleasure after another.' — Gramophone
'The delightful musings of a wise and worldly polymath.' — Financial Times, Books of the Year

Stephen Hough is indisputably one of the world's leading pianists, earning global acclaim and numerous awards for his concerts and recordings. Beyond his musical achievements, he is also a celebrated writer and composer.

What to Expect in Rough Ideas:

• Insight into the life of a musician:
  Hough explores what it means to walk onto a stage, make a recording, and shares specialist tips from deep inside the practice room.
• Reflections on broader topics:
  He writes vividly about people, places, literature, and art.
• Thought-provoking discussions:
  Hough touches on controversial subjects, including the possibility of the existence of God and the challenges of being a gay Catholic.

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