Peter Scott Lewis: Pacific Triptych Review by James Manheim

Composer Peter Scott Lewis writes music in a rigorous but accessible contemporary language, of which this 2025 release offers an excellent example. His subject matter here is one of the most common in U.S. classical music, namely American scenery and imagery. Yet this material is conveyed by small gestures in a concise keyboard language. Lewis is often known for vocal music, but here, he achieves strong pictorial effects without benefit of text. One might not guess the subject matter of "Chief Seattle Walks the Pike Place Market" from An American Travelogue, Book 1, but consider the Seven Nuggets, each representing a particular stone. These are ideal musical inspirations, with each one carrying qualities of reflectiveness that translate clearly enough to the musical medium. Sample the final "Lapis, with Gold Crystals" for an idea. These are all short pieces; of the Seven Nuggets, just one is slightly longer than three and a half minutes. There is no room for Coplandian imagery; everything is reduced to concise suggestion. Pianist Blair McMillen has championed Lewis' music in the past, and his readings of the music, with fine sound from Oktaven Audio outside New York, may be taken as definitive. A fresh new take on one of the oldest American themes.

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