Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
These are not new recordings by pianist Paul Lewis but rather are extracted from his complete cycle of Beethoven's sonatas, recorded over the late 2000s and released in 2009. The idea of doing a "greatest hits" for Lewis is an intriguing one, for he has always been, if not exactly an "intellectual" pianist, one who prizes detail over big drama. The plan seems to have worked. The first movement of the Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2 ("Moonlight"), has, for whatever reason, amassed at this writing more than 100,000,000 streams on streaming services, with the result that a lot of people are hearing some very fine Beethoven playing. Lewis does not sentimentalize anything in this famed first movement, but it has an unusually well-controlled glassiness. Even Für Elise, WoO 59, the ultimate Beethoven chestnut, receives a thoughtful and compelling performance. One might wonder if the Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major, Op. 106 ("Hammerklavier"), is really a famous Beethoven sonata, but Lewis is second to none in clarifying the textures of this thorny work, and new listeners could do worse than to start here with the much-discussed late Beethoven. For the Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 ("Pathétique"), and Piano Sonata No. 23 in F sharp minor, Op. 57 ("Appassionata"), one could find stormier readings, but these are of the sort that keep the listener returning again and again to absorb all the detail. This collection easily dispels any suspicion that Harmonia Mundi was merely in search of more profits from the original set.
© James Manheim /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr133,33/month
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique" (Ludwig van Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight" (Ludwig van Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Sonate pour Piano No. 24 en Fa Dièse Majeur, Op. 78 "à Thérèse" (Ludwig van Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
DISC 2
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata" (Ludwig van Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106 "Hammerklavier" (Ludwig van Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - PAUL LEWIS, Piano, MainArtist
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Album review
These are not new recordings by pianist Paul Lewis but rather are extracted from his complete cycle of Beethoven's sonatas, recorded over the late 2000s and released in 2009. The idea of doing a "greatest hits" for Lewis is an intriguing one, for he has always been, if not exactly an "intellectual" pianist, one who prizes detail over big drama. The plan seems to have worked. The first movement of the Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2 ("Moonlight"), has, for whatever reason, amassed at this writing more than 100,000,000 streams on streaming services, with the result that a lot of people are hearing some very fine Beethoven playing. Lewis does not sentimentalize anything in this famed first movement, but it has an unusually well-controlled glassiness. Even Für Elise, WoO 59, the ultimate Beethoven chestnut, receives a thoughtful and compelling performance. One might wonder if the Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major, Op. 106 ("Hammerklavier"), is really a famous Beethoven sonata, but Lewis is second to none in clarifying the textures of this thorny work, and new listeners could do worse than to start here with the much-discussed late Beethoven. For the Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 ("Pathétique"), and Piano Sonata No. 23 in F sharp minor, Op. 57 ("Appassionata"), one could find stormier readings, but these are of the sort that keep the listener returning again and again to absorb all the detail. This collection easily dispels any suspicion that Harmonia Mundi was merely in search of more profits from the original set.
© James Manheim /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 19 track(s)
- Total length: 02:24:46
- Main artists: Paul Lewis
- Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
- Label: harmonia mundi
- Genre: Classical
2022 harmonia mundi 2022 harmonia mundi
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.