Schubert - Piano Sonata 14 [Lewis]
What a lovely disc this is, Schubert's last Piano Sonatas have overshadowed his earlier efforts, and rightly so i guess, but i have a soft spot for 14 & 16, and here we have a little gem from Schubert, something you'll miss if you think his earlier works are sub standard, Schubert had a short life, so even though this was composed five years before his death, it's still considered his one of his 'middle' works, written in the key of A Minor, it's first movement is bleak yet compelling, it stands up well to his later works, and this still remains a revelation for me, i gushed about this work a couple of years ago [20th March 2013].
Paul Lewis is English, he's now 43, i consider him 'young', a sort of rising generation of Pianists, but of course he's not so young anymore, but he has a long life ahead of him, and he's getting better!, i hear he's going to start recording some Brahms solo piano music, i would love to hear his take on the Handel Variations!, he recorded this disc in 2001, the front cover photograph [by Jack Liebeck], is a basic black & white, not bad at all, some of the face is really washed out though, these Harmonia Mundi discs all have a colour theme, and this one's light blue, i like the finished product.
Well it was the tremendous first movement which stunned me again this time, there's an underlining agitation / worry to this music, of course it's in a minor key, and this makes the thing sound so tragic, it's starts off with a sad tune, but then this same tune explodes into a forte version [0:52+], and it's those chords which reply in the bass which are so dramatic [0:56 & 1:03], growls and rumblings in the bass all over, and then shock!, a beautiful calm tune appears out of nowhere [2:04+], and even though it seems a complete juxtaposition, it fits perfectly!, however even in this tune you can't help to hear an anger below the surface, but this tune is a wonder to behold, the opening returns [3:33+], and it's so good to hear the same music that i heard a few moments ago, and especially the beautiful new calm music [5:35+], the movement has a central section [7:03+], using those same bass chords in anger, and a whimsical version of the calm music [8:15+], up in the treble, but also a bit manic too, you can hear themes come and go, the very opening returns again [9:06+], and the music varies in slightly new tangents, this time Schubert presents the calming music in a more complex echo [10:54+], which is really lovely, a nice little highlight, what a tremendous creation from Schubert, and Lewis plays it with real passion.
Here's Brendel playing the Sonata on YouTube.
Paul Lewis is English, he's now 43, i consider him 'young', a sort of rising generation of Pianists, but of course he's not so young anymore, but he has a long life ahead of him, and he's getting better!, i hear he's going to start recording some Brahms solo piano music, i would love to hear his take on the Handel Variations!, he recorded this disc in 2001, the front cover photograph [by Jack Liebeck], is a basic black & white, not bad at all, some of the face is really washed out though, these Harmonia Mundi discs all have a colour theme, and this one's light blue, i like the finished product.
Well it was the tremendous first movement which stunned me again this time, there's an underlining agitation / worry to this music, of course it's in a minor key, and this makes the thing sound so tragic, it's starts off with a sad tune, but then this same tune explodes into a forte version [0:52+], and it's those chords which reply in the bass which are so dramatic [0:56 & 1:03], growls and rumblings in the bass all over, and then shock!, a beautiful calm tune appears out of nowhere [2:04+], and even though it seems a complete juxtaposition, it fits perfectly!, however even in this tune you can't help to hear an anger below the surface, but this tune is a wonder to behold, the opening returns [3:33+], and it's so good to hear the same music that i heard a few moments ago, and especially the beautiful new calm music [5:35+], the movement has a central section [7:03+], using those same bass chords in anger, and a whimsical version of the calm music [8:15+], up in the treble, but also a bit manic too, you can hear themes come and go, the very opening returns again [9:06+], and the music varies in slightly new tangents, this time Schubert presents the calming music in a more complex echo [10:54+], which is really lovely, a nice little highlight, what a tremendous creation from Schubert, and Lewis plays it with real passion.
Here's Brendel playing the Sonata on YouTube.
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