Search - Paul Lewis :: Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas

This wonderful little box is A MUST HAVE for your collection

Gregory E. Foster | Portland, ME, USA | 05/15/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Imagine!

Paul Lewis started on the cello!



But, lucky for us, at age 14, while attending Chetham's School of Music his pianism blossomed and then at Guildhall School, he was taught by Alfred Brendel, and in 1994 he took second prize in the World Piano Competition in London. In 2000 he became Professor of Piano at the Royal Academy of Music.



Throughout 2005, 2006, and 2007, Lewis toured the USA and Europe, playing through the entire cycle of Beethoven's "32".....surely the cornerstone of the genre of the piano sonata. And, when he was ready, he stepped up to Harmonia Mundi and recorded them in 4 separate boxes, which have now been packaged all together here in this most wonderous set.



All four boxes as they were released became Gramophone Magazine "Editor's Choice" selections, and in 2008 box number 4 was awarded Gramophone's "Best Instrumental" and "Best Recording of the Year".



Bryce Morrison wrote:

"An epic Beethoven journey begins and this strong start promises well" (from review of volume 1)

And Again:

"Mastery and eloquence: this is shaping up to be a great Beethoven cycle" (from review of volume 2)

Further:

"Round three, and Paul Lewis's eloquent and persuasive cycle still enthrals" (from review of volume 3)

And Later:

"GRAMOPHONE RECORD OF THE YEAR 2008! Schnabel, Kempff, Brendel are great but Lewis gives you the best of all worlds" (from review of volume 4)



I am sure just about Everyone has at least one cycle of Beethoven's Sonatas, and many music lovers/collectors have many sets, as I do (Both Kempf sets, Schnabel, Arrau, Ashkenazy, both [Philips] Brendel sets, Goode, and O'Connor, Barenboim, and the Kovacevich), and now added, this wonderful set by Paul Lewis.



If someone were to ask me if I had to pare them down, it would go like this...I certainly would not part with my old mono Kempff set, my Schnabel, Arrau, Brendel #2, nor my Goode or the Kovacevich sets, and NOW, on this "keepers" "must-have" list, sits these fascinating recordings by Lewis. This guy admits that these works "will always be bigger than you are", but he tackles them, and scores repeatedly with new insights, deftness of touch, and staggering boldness and leaps that will surely take your breath away.



You simply MUST hear these recordings for yourself. Read other reviews here and elsewhere, but don't doubt my word that these stupendous recordings of Mr. Lewis' traversal of Beethoven's Magnum Opus's belong in your collection....you will love them, for sure, and treasure them as you do your other great sets of these ceaselessly fascinating works of total wonderment.



~operabruin"

An outstanding modern set of Beethoven' Sonatas

Lee A. Steels | Ontario | 02/21/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No matter how many sets of Ludwig's piano sonatas you have ... buy this set. Prepare to have your ears opened to glorious piano sound and solid, imaginative playing from Paul lewis. This is the set I keep returning to to hear NEW ideas. I love my Gilels, Barenboim, Brendel, Ashkenazi and Kovacevich sets, but if you want great pianism AND GREAT SOUND, this Harmonia Mundi set will leave you ecstatic! I cannot recommend it too highly."

'Must Have' for all classical music lovers.

Abel | Hong Kong | 05/10/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The recordings in this set were made when the pianist was in his mid-thirties. He's not yet 40 by now, but, having heard him live recently, I add my testimony to the fact that young Paul Lewis is simply the most exciting pianist of the 'classical' to early romantic composers' works that is performing today.

Lewis has a musical sense and depth of understanding well beyond his 30 odd years. A most natural and unassuming person, his total absorption into the music he plays coupled with supreme musical control set him clearly apart from other young 'virtuosi' that emerge on the pianistic scene this last decade.

He has enough technique to burn, but if you consider his pianism from that perspective, you would risk being in blasphemy of the music. Young Lewis has that uncanny ability, so rarely found in a musician of his age, to strip his music from all extraneous nonsenses and to directly focus his listeners to the music and the music alone.

I saw him live performing Beethoven's No. 5 concerto, and his ability to totally merge the solo with the tutti parts of the different movements of that work leaves his audience in awe.

Nor do I consider Lewis a 'Beethoven expert' only.

Indeed, if he could master Beethoven in such superb manner, that alone would speak for everything else.

This box set of 10 CDs is a REAL bargain and should sit on the head of every music lover's handy shelf. Each piece inside the CDs is a real musical delight. And just to cut long words to the shortest, if you are looking for your favourite Moonlight Sonata, you'd probably find it in Paul Lewis' set.

I did.

It is only a matter of time for the entire musical world to recognise the presence of this wonderful master musician.

"