The pianist tells us about his recording of the composer’s Bagatelles, Limelight’s Recording of the Month in August, and why these works are perfect for the present moment.

Intimate demonstration of the piano’s capabilities, but odd acoustics frustrate.

Paul Lewis explores the world of the early 19th-century piano.

QSO's first concert for 2019, with pianist Paul Lewis, lives up to its name.

Stars of its annual concert series, celebrating its 10th year, include pianist Kirill Gerstein, early music pioneer Jordi Savall and soprano Nicole Car.

For Paul Lewis, Papa Haydn turns ought to be no laughing matter.

QSO Music Director Alondra de la Parra talks to Limelight about a 2019 full of contrasts.

From Mahler to Lang Lang with plenty in between, the MSO's outgoing Chief discusses his final year.

From the sublime to the ridiculous, the British pianist describes the challenges of Haydn, Beethoven and Brahms.

Highlights include five-star ballet and opera, Adelaide Guitar Festival and international pianists Paul Lewis and Simon Trpčeski.

English pianist Jonathan Plowright continues to stake his claim for recording the modern benchmark set of Brahms piano works with this fourth volume in BIS’s superlative series. This despite stiff competition from Irishman Barry Douglas, who has already completed his six-volume set for Chandos and the redoubtable Paul Lewis who coupled the Four Ballades with his recent five-star reading of the First Piano Concerto. The difference in approach between Plowright and Douglas is no better demonstrated than in the third Intermezzo from the Piano Pieces Op. 119. It’s marked grazioso e giocoso and Plowright dispatches it with infectious high spirits in 1’15’’ while Douglas chooses more grace than jocularity with a generous 1’51’’. Plowright bookends this latest programme with the first and second sets of the 30 Paganini Variations. Played straight through they are tedious for listener and performer alike, but Plowright’s solution is a fine one. He plays the other works – the Ballades, Rhapsodies and Piano Pieces Op. 119 – in their original groupings whereas the adventurous Douglas seasons a set of Cappricios with a single Ballade or Intermezzo. So, very different approaches from two very different performers. Ultimately the choice will be yours. If you can… Continue…

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