Schubert - Piano Sonata 20 [Lewis] And yet again the reverse side of the 'main' work, i played Schubert's Piano Sonata 21 by Lewis a couple of months ago [8th June 2011], Lewis fails to observe the exposition repeats [just like his mentor Brendel], that's why he can squeeze these last two Sonatas on one disc, and this disc is quickly establishing itself as a valuable addition to my growing library / collection.
Paul Lewis is English, now 39 years of age, he seems to be recording the great Germanic works [Beethoven & Schubert], he recorded this disc in 2002, the front cover is excellent, a picture [by Alvaro Yanez] of Paul Lewis leaning over his piano, treble keys bottom left, nice use of the hands, and it's that juxtaposing of dark background, with the lighted areas that are of highlighted interest, a clever portrait.
This was an enjoyable Sonata in the hands of Lewis, the second movement Andantino impressed me the most, a slow tolling of a piece, Lewis really does take it slow, and creates a hypnotic funeral dirge of it, the tolling of the bells are really telling, and the first three minutes are mesmerizing under his hands [0:00-2:46], a lovely ebb and flow of slow and not so slow, and of soft and loud, light and dark etc, the central section has some wonderful treble trills and tolls [3:27-3:42], nicely accentuated by Lewis to bring out the colours and dynamics, Lewis also handles the bridge back to the opening phrases so well [5:15-5:41], a superb 'end of the day' feeling, there's a lot to be said for giving a slow interpretation, it really works here, hats off to Paul Lewis!.
Here's Alfred Brendel playing the second movement on YouTube.
