Other Love Songs

"a performance of sparkle and precision, restoring muscularity to Brahms's charming part-songs...[Hough's song-cycle is] a touching companion to the Brahms...Hough celebrates other kinds of love, religious, gay and in the broadest sense fraternal. The piano writing, not surprisingly given Hough's day job, is original and beguiling, the performances first rate." (The Observer)

"it was a bright idea of the group to ask Stephen Hough to compose a song cycle for the same lineup to separate the two helpings of Brahms, and perhaps to provide some palate-cleansing astringency...The sequence is perfectly judged, wittily allusive and serves its purpose perfectly. I suspect, in fact, that most who buy the disc will listen to Hough's songs more than the Brahms that flanks them." (The Guardian)

"finely judged, delightfully youthful performances...Hough finds a language, a style, a startling response for the unique and elusive scent of each poem. There are solos and various pairings of voices, interwoven with often surprising and always thrilling piano writing." (BBC Music Magazine)

"Hogarth and his mightily talented vocal ensemble shape imaginative readings of each song in turn, introducing subtle tempo changes and vivid tonal contrasts to give rich life to their often dark-hearted texts and real soul to Brahms's music...The compelling emotional contrasts of this album may stem from its sage repertoire choice, but it's the top-drawer performances and sound recording that separate this outstanding release from the crowd." (Classic FM)