CHELTENHAM
MUSIC FESTIVAL 2007
Ludwig
van Beethoven:
Piano Sonatas: in E major,
Op. 109 (1820); in A flat
major, Op. 110 (1821); in
C minor Op. 111 (1821-22).
Paul Lewis (piano) Pittville
Pump Room, Cheltenham, 10.07.2007
(JQ)
For
the last two years Paul
Lewis has been touring the
world, cumulatively performing
the complete cycle of 32
Beethoven piano sonatas.
Almost a year ago to the
day his recital of three
contrasting sonatas, including
the daunting "Hammerklavier"
sonata, was one of the highlights
of the 2006 Cheltenham Festival
review
As
the end of his Beethoven
odyssey approached he returned
to Cheltenham with a hugely
demanding – and hugely rewarding
- programme that took in
Beethoven’s last three essays
in the genre. As we were
reminded in the programme
note, the period of composition
of these three masterpieces
coincided with part of the
time that Beethoven was
occupied with the composition
of the Missa Solemnis.
So, contemporaneously Beethoven
was pushing back significantly
not just the boundaries
of vocal music but of piano
music also.
Happily,
in Paul Lewis we had a pianist
fully equipped to surmount
all the many technical and
intellectual challenges
of this music. In the opening
movement of Op. 109
I admired the strength of
his left hand, but equally
noteworthy were some delicate
passages of figuration in
the right hand. In the prestissimo
scherzo there was abundant
rhythmic drive, which resulted
in very exciting music making.
The finale is a theme and
variations. The theme itself
was unfolded with a noble
cantabile after which Lewis
explored the contrasts in
the variations most skilfully.
He built the variations
to a powerful climax before
allowing the music to subside
calmly and lyrically into
the reprise of the theme.
He brought the sonata to
a rapt close, and the several
seconds of silence before
the applause broke out spoke
volumes for the mood of
concentration which he’d
induced his audience to
share with him.
At
the start of Op. 110
I felt that Lewis conveyed
the rhetoric very well and
without any exaggerated
effect. The allegro molto
scherzo benefited from energetic
propulsion of the rhythms
and crisp, clean articulation
of the finger work. However,
it was in the finale that
he surpassed himself. There
was an almost improvisatory
feel to the introduction,
which generated a real feeling
of suspense. Then the arioso
began quietly, sounding
almost Bachian. The first
fuga was marvellously purposeful;
Lewis built it splendidly.
After this the slower section
was suitably calm but the
succession of crescendo
chords that end this section
and lead to the second fuga
were played with an impressive
sonority. The ending of
the movement was delivered
with great power, causing
me to reflect that in the
early 1820s music such as
this must have strained
the capabilities of the
instruments of the day almost
to breaking point.
To
end we heard a magnificent
reading of Op. 111.The
rhetoric of the maestoso
opening was commanding
and Lewis then realised
the often turbulent allegro
superbly. His playing contained,
in equal measure, power,
energy and authority; he
was absolutely on top of
this music. At the end of
my notes about this movement
I wrote one word: "Dynamism!"
I think that was an appropriate
summary.
Although
it’s not marked in my copy
of the score, Lewis started
the second, concluding movement
with no perceptible pause
– a most effective touch.
On the surface the music
is calm at the start of
this movement but there’s
plenty of tension under
the surface,and Lewis brought
this out very effectively.
The variations were played
with great control and imagination.
Lewis succeeded in presenting
them as a coherent and logical
whole, rather than as a
series of connected episodes.
Indeed, the whole of this
extended and complex movement
came across as one single
span. His playing of the
last few bars, leading to
the quiet, dignified end,
was very satisfying, effectively
a musical QED. As at the
end of Op. 109, the audience
was still for several seconds
as the music died away,
almost as if no one dared
to break the thoughtful
silence, and for me that
was an even greater compliment
to his pianism than the
cheers and enthusiastic
applause that then broke
out. In fact the ovation
felt like a collective release
on the part of the audience.
This
was a splendid recital,
one that was deeply satisfying
both in terms of the pianism
and the intellectual grip
that Paul Lewis displayed.
Everything he did sounded
just right. If he’s this
good in Beethoven at this
relatively early stage in
his career one wonders what
revelations he’ll have for
his audiences in, say, twenty
years’ time. On this evidence
it’s quite obvious that
the rave reviews that Lewis
seems to garner wherever
he plays are amply justified.
This listener is only too
happy to add one more to
the list. Bravo!
John
Quinn
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