David Dalle
Thursday March 26th, 2015 with David Dalle
Hindusthani vocal with Bhimsen Joshi; Schubert's last sonata with Paul Lewis

Today's show we hear some more music which invokes spring, one of the greatest Hindusthani classical singers, the late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, and Schubert's final piano sonata, in B flat. We hear the Schubert again by the tremendous UK pianist Paul Lewis, of Schubert's last trilogy of piano sonatas, Paul Lewis gives his best performance in this final one--a performance of exquisite and subtle touches, beautiful tone, grand and blissful scope. This performance alone would rank Paul Lewis as a great pianist. Schubert's last 3 sonatas were started in the spring and summer of 1828, Schubert's final year, and the final one completed at the end of September. All 3 sonatas were composed, at least in their final stages, simultaneously, and Schubert intended them to be published as a set. There are musical links between the 3 sonatas and you cannot help but wonder what Schubert intended with this trilogy of supremely emotional, dramatic works, enormously expanded and technically much more innovative than any of his previous sonatas, and all composed together in the last months of his tragically short life. The final sonata is all the more enigmatic because the first two are very extreme in their dark thoughts and painful expressions, while the final one in complete contrast is blissful, suffused with heavenly peace. Schubert seems to try and stop time with this piece, using novel musical techniques such as alternating between very remote keys which heightens the sense of timelessness. This is music not thinking of pain or grief, but looking on the world with wonder and awe. Listen to the other two late sonatas with Paul Lewis here: in A Major http://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/105/20003.html in c minor http://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/105/19035.html and an earlier masterpiece by Schubert: http://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/105/17683.html