Schubert: The Late Piano Sonatas

British pianist Paul Lewis's auspicious 2001 harmonia mundi debut release marked the beginning of his fascination with the music of Franz Schubert. Thirteen years later, now hailed as ''the finest Schubert interpreter of his generation'' (Gramophone), Lewis offers this two-disc collection, the final installment of his three-part Schubert series, which presents newly recorded interpretations of sonatas D784 & 958 paired with his 2002 recording of Sonatas D959 and D960. The 'late' works of Schubert hold a special place in Lewis's heart. In a recent interview he said, ''There is no precedent in his music for what the language becomes - that sense of austerity, sparseness, hopelessness, terror even! I think he suddenly had an acute awareness of his own mortality.''