“Before Liszt, a conductor was someone who just facilitated the performance, who would keep people together or beat the time, indicate the entries. After Liszt, that was no longer the case; a conductor was someone who shaped the music in an intense musical way, who played the orchestra as an instrument.”

British and Australian classical pianist, composer and writer

Sir Stephen Andrew Gill Hough is a British and Australian classical pianist, composer, and writer. He is known for a career that spans performance, composition, and writing, with work rooted in the classical music tradition. Hough’s public reputation comes from his activity across several musical roles rather than from a single field. He performs as a pianist, composes music, and writes, making him a distinctive figure in contemporary classical culture.