Paul Lewis

When it comes to prizes and distinctions, Paul Lewis has much to celebrate. A Philharmonic Society's Instrumentalist of the Year Award, a Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, three Gramophone Awards and two consecutive Edisons: he's won them all. Many of these prizes were awarded to this British pianist for his much talked about 'Beethoven Integrale'. So it's only natural that two of the German master's sonatas are also included in the programme for this concert. Two choral works by Johann Sebastian Bach will provide a counter-balance. After the interval, Lewis will be treading more evocative paths, including Liszt's tonal portrayal of persistent insomnia, and his lugubrious funeral music for Richard Wagner. It goes without saying that the notes in Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition' can also be imputed to have visual qualities.