Savannah Music Festival LIVE 808 – Paul Lewis

By the close of the 18th century, Ludwig van Beethoven had established himself as one of Vienna’s most important pianists and composers. But in the early 1800s, Beethoven was forced to confront the onset of deafness. Though he responded by producing some of his greatest works over the next ten years, as the second decade of the 19th century drew to a close, the general belief in Vienna was that Beethoven’s career was over. In the final decade of his life, known now as his “late period,” Beethoven repeatedly displayed an awe-inspiring range of depth and expression, achieved in great part by his willingness to journey beyond traditional music structures. IN this episode, we listen to British pianist Paul Lewis performing Beethoven’s final three sonatas, Opus 109-111. Mr. Lewis’ performances of works by Beethoven and Schubert have earned him unanimous critical acclaim, and this 2015 Savannah Music Festival recital backed up those rave reviews.