Paul Lewis – review

Wigmore Hall, London

After two years in which most of his recital work has been devoted to the keyboard and Lieder literature of Schubert, Paul Lewis's odyssey has finally reached the three great peaks of the composer's final sonatas. These three are hewn from the same mother lode of mature piano writing, which makes them a natural programme, though a long one. Lewis sensibly followed the example of his former teacher, Alfred Brendel, and omitted the exposition repeats.

In some of his earlier Schubert programmes, you sensed a kind of deference in Lewis's always beautifully measured playing, which at times amounted to self-abnegation. But there was no such diffidence here. From the start of the C minor sonata D958, Lewis was a more fully engaged protagonist in the 19th-century manner, impetuously emphasising the drama of the constantly shifting, harmonic and dynamic contrasts of the opening allegro. He imposed his presence and personality on a work that was once the Cinderella of the of the final sonatas, but which is nowadays rightly seen as fully the equal of its two great companions.

Lewis has long been a fine exponent of the harrowing A major sonata D959 – he played the andantino at the memorial service for the Guardian's Hugo Young in 2003 – but this performance always had fresh things to say. The heart of it, perhaps unexpectedly, was the sustained, hymn-like grace of the finale, played like a prayer after the challenges and storms of the first two movements.

In the B flat sonata D960, the hushed, unfolding theme of the first movement was slightly held back in an uncharacteristically mannered way, but with Lewis's playing exquisitely weighted and judged throughout. The andante was an introspective jewel, and the rondo surged to a fine and fitting end to one of the most satisfying musical explorations of the past two years.

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Contributor

Martin Kettle

The GuardianTramp

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