Reviews

The Cheltenham College organ sounds on fine form in this clever compilation of both transcriptions and original organ works.

…this is about the scariest collection of tracks we have ever listened to…an impressive display of the power and flexibility of a church organ

This is a splendid piece of musical archaeology…David Johnson’s work is creative, interesting and satisfying. Christopher Guild has made another major contribution to Scottish classical music.

This has really grown on me…their playing is excellent.

One can surmise that Honma put a great deal of thought, research and practice time into this project, and her most stimulating interpretations provide food for thought.

…as a cycle this is rather good, and one I will return to often. I rather like its unobtrusive intimacy, never detracting from the music itself and Honma’s consistently fine playing of it.

n Glow of Like Seclusion is filled with moments of surprise. They may bring delight or disturbance- or some other excitation that can be experienced though not fully recognized. But every single one is the creation of a composer fully invested in his art. Andreyev continuously pushes himself and his music as far as it will go. It is an amazing album- fresh and provocative and true.

This disc has been a…delight. I knew Thomas Pitfield was a composer…I had no idea that his songs were so interesting, distinctive and attractive. Pitfield was….a fine composer of songs

simply…enjoy the various sounds of flute and piano throughout the CD – the amusing pointillism of the Kandinsky exploration, the foghorn-like evocation of bitterns, the dynamic thunderstorm impression associated with Stonehenge…evoked here is the sense that the “two minds” of Cowie and Chislett are kindred spirits

Here’s a beautifully presented and performed collection of music…Intriguing, distinctive…performed with enthusiasm and impressive accuracy

…the seventh quartet…is breaking new ground. The Kreutzer Quartet, which specializes in modern music and in particular the music of Edward Cowie, offers technically superior interpretations both in the ensemble and in the solo works.

Les ombres du Fantôme creates an interesting backdrop against the novella. It sparks intrigue…laden with interesting aural derivatives…Captivating…

The writing for instruments throughout the disc, but particularly in this first movement, is miraculous, with everything seemingly perfectly idiomatic for each instrument. This is contemporary music at its finest…Wholeheartedly recommended.

…this is worth a listen…with some rather nice moments.

This is a rather lovely album that we have carried on playing, long after the review was written…well worth a listen

In this recent release…the 75 pieces which make up the six volumes of Michael Blake’s Afrikosmos, Progressive African Piano Pieces, are beautiful and convincingly presented by pianist Antony Gray…there is much to be enjoyed and admired here.

…the foregrounded element is Finnissy’s profound respect for language, its cadences, how it conveys meaning and the ways in which its interaction with music can be expressed in terms of tension and reconciliation.The performers all give insightful performances…mezzo Lotte Betts-Dean’s elegantly inflected delivery is particularly compelling. The recorded sound is both intimate and detailed.

Conductor Shea Lolin and composer/producer Christopher Hussey have joined the Czech
Philharmonic Wind Ensemble….whose range of sounds and feelings is absorbing.

Although the choice of repertoire – just Beethoven and Schubert – does no more than scratch the surface of his recorded achievements, the artists chosen – John Lil and lan and Jennifer Partridge – are twin marks of the quality of Boyden’s musicianship and abilities as a classical record producer.

It’s all nicely performed…An enjoyable and approachable album for fans of lighter opera, art songs and folk.