World renowned composer and pianist Stephen Hough made his 4th appearance on the Lobero Stage since 2005 for CAMA Santa Barbara to kick off their 101st season of concerts with a program of works on the theme of death. The centerpiece of the of the concert was Chopin’s deceptively simple seeming “funeral march,” something everyone can probably hum, but how many can play it as masterfully and with such insight? Another highlight of the program was Mr. Hough’s own composition “Vida Breve” (short life) which he introduced with an explanation about why he needed to have the score in front of him, unlike the remainder of the works he performed. It was certainly the most abstract piece of the evening, with a compression of the joy and turmoil of a life driving inexorably toward the end, and it was understandable the he needed to be able to refer to the written notes to find a new interpretation of what he had created on the page.
