The concert began with an introduction about Paul Lewis’ heroic short-notice fill in for Leif Ove Andsnes. I knew about his loaded schedule because of the research I had done beforehand, but until after the concert I didn’t even consider the fact that he must’ve been extremely jet lagged while playing. Lewis was still in another time zone. By the time he began to play for us, it was about 1am or 2am to him. Under those circumstances, I was utterly impressed that he was able to stay focused to play for 90 minutes after all of the travel and lack of sleep.
I had never been to a professional classical piano concert before. I expected to check my watch every 10 minutes and just want to sleep for the whole entire time, but my experience at Paul Lewis’s concert was soothing and satisfying. I was surprised at how quickly Paul Lewis began playing once he came onto the stage. He took a quick bow then began playing almost as soon as he was seated. This was a much different approach than what I read about Leif Ove Andsnes. Andsnes apparently thinks that it is important to talk briefly before playing. I didn’t feel much excitement when the concert started because of the fact that classical piano music is usually what I listen to when I really need to focus while studying. Since I’m used to listening to that style of music in the background while I am doing something else, it was hard for me to only focus on the music at times. I found myself closing my eyes and trying to imagine a story to stay engaged during the first song. Each keystroke seemed so delicate. Classical music is always relaxing and beautiful but being inside of Hill Auditorium with the dim lights and beautiful background amplified the tranquil feeling. The audience was startled when the mood changed at first because it was so sudden. The changes in tone and volume in this piece were not my favorite because I like when classical music flows and this piece seemed a little bit choppy. Some people might say that they liked this because it kept them on the edge of their seat.
The second piece, Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110, was my favorite because of its spontaneity. The piece flowed together beautifully even though the tone of the piece changed frequently and abruptly. For most of the concert, Paul Lewis was pretty stiff while performing so during this song it was pleasant to see him get more into the music and use more dramatic movements with his arms. At the end of the concert, I knew that I appreciated the second song the most because they all sounded similar to me and this piece seemed to be the most different. There was a climax when he played louder and louder, building up tension and giving the piece a different feel than the other two. This piece seemed to actually have a story behind it because it conveyed specific feelings at times. I wish the song didn’t drag out for so long because towards the end it started sounding like the end of the first Sonata. I could tell that the audience enjoyed this Sonata the most as well because the clapping for this song was significantly longer than the other pieces.
Paul Lewis began to play the third piece immediately after the clapping died down. This song sounded like background music to a horror movie for the majority of it. I could imagine something mysterious happening. He even slammed on the keys a few times which created intensity. This song was impressive because he was able to assimilate many different variations of speeds and tones into the piece. At the end, I was getting a bit restless since the third song began to sound identical to the other pieces.
As I zoned out, I started thinking about how difficult the show must have been to put on. Not only did I find it amazing that Paul was able to come so last minute, but the fact the UMS was able to have such a highly renowned pianist come to replace Leif Ove Andsnes is incredible. UMS must have such great connections and Hill Auditorium is such a desirable place for pianists to play. I can only imagine how hectic it was to deal with transportation for the musician, making new programs, and the upset people who already bought tickets specifically to see Andsnes. I wanted to make sure I gave a shoutout to UMS for such a successful turnout.
Overall, the talk at the beginning of the show made me appreciate the concert even more because it showed that Paul Lewis is so passionate about performing that he was willing to make such a last minute adjustment to an incredibly busy schedule. I thought he was extremely talented and the music was enchanting, but I just wish there was more of a variety. I think that it would’ve been nice to hear a program similar to what Leif Ove Andsnes was going to perform.
