Schubert - Piano Duets
Lewis; Osborne
Hyperion CDA67665

Release date November 2010

Schubert's piano duets have provided the ideal opportunity to bring together two award-winning pianists, Steven Osborne and Paul Lewis. Of the works presented here, the F minor Fantasie is by far the best-known. The rest of the disc has been given over to some of Schubert's lesser-known duets. Included amongst these is the Fugue in E minor, which shows off Osborne and Lewis's capacity to balance the voices; it is obvious that they are a well-matched pair. Variations on an original theme in A flat is given a delightful performance. The opening march-like theme is both delicate and sprightly in their hands. As the variations develop, so too does the intricate nature of the score and it becomes ever clearer that Schubert truly understood how to make the most of the piano duet as an art form. The remarkable Fantasie brings the disc to a close. Once again, Osborne and Lewis maximise the contrasting sections of the work, all the while exploring the Fantasie's drama. Also included on the disc is a crisp rendition of the Allegro in A minor 'Lebenssturme', as well as the Rondo in A and Andantino verie; in B minor. The duo have alternated the primo and secondo parts, as indeed would have been performance practice in Schubert's day. Hyperion's own notes sum up this project perfectly: 'Who better to commit these works to disc than two of the brightest stars in the British piano scene, Paul Lewis and Steven Osborne? As well as their individual achievements, they also have a long-standing friendship and performing relationship which you will hear reflected in their magisterial performances on this marvellous disc.' And who can ask for better than that?

Reviewed by Ruth Squire