Paul Lewis (pianist)

Paul Lewis is an English classical music pianist [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/11/1052591670775.html "Pianist's calm creativity"] , "The Age", May 12 2003]

Paul Lewis was born to a Liverpool family. His father worked at the Liverpool docks and his mother was a local council worker. There were no musicians in his family background.

He started out on the cello, which was the only instrument on which his school could offer him tuition. At age 14, he was accepted into Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, where his piano studies blossomed. Among music teachers were Ryszard Bakst (at Chetham's), Joan Havill (at the Guildhall) and Alfred Brendel. His first international achievement was the second prize at the 1994 World Piano Competition in London. [http://harmoniamundi.com/usa/artistes_fiche.php?artist_id=1744 "Paul Lewis"] at "Harmonia Mundi"]

In 2000 he became a Professor of Piano at the Royal Academy of Music.

Lewis has played in many prestigious venues and various festivals all over the world and with many notable orchestras with famous conductors. He is most strongly affiliated with the Wigmore Hall, London. [http://www.ingpen.co.uk/artist_detail.php?aid=76 "Paul Lewis"] , a bio from Ingpen & Williams] Paul Lewis performed all the Beethoven piano sonatas on tour in the USA and Europe between 2005 and 2007 seasons, in parallel with his complete recording of the cycle for Harmonia Mundi.

Reviews

"There is in Lewis's playing a strong physicality, a firm connection between his deep thinking about the music and his articulation of it. He knows and can define its character, and can show how its rhythmic, harmonic and melodic components coalesce. This was playing of intellectual rigour and imaginative vigour." Geoffrey Norris, "The Daily Telegraph"

Discography

*Harmonia Mundi:
**Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 19 in C minor, D. 958, Piano Sonata No. 14 in A minor ("Grande Sonate"), D. 784 (Op. posth. 143) (2002) CD ASIN B00005QG1F
**Schubert. Last Sonatas D.959 & D.960, (2003) CD (HMC901800) ASIN B00008O6EO
**Liszt: Sonata in B Minor (2004) CD (HMC901845) ASIN B0002I746S
**Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol.1 (2005) CD (HMC901902) ASIN B000A5B25W
**Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol.2 (2007) CD (HMC901903.05, 3 CDs) ASIN B000HXDS04
**Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol.3 (2007) CD (HMC901906.08, 3 CDs)
**Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol.4 (2008) CD (HMC901909.11, 3 CDs)
*Hyperion Records, with Leopold String Trio [http://www.amazon.com/s/103-7742486-2900637?ie=UTF8&search-alias=classical&keywords=Leopold%20String%20Trio] :
**Mozart: Piano Quartet in G minor; Piano Quartet in E flat (2003) ASIN B00008ZZ3E
**Schubert: Trout Quintet

References