Reviews

Much of the writing is charming and emi­nently approachable. Honeybourne’s per­formance is simply beautiful, even in its most powerful and haunting moments. Again {in the Wind Trio] the music is charming and the performance excellent. [A] splendid introduction to a fine, skilled composer.

Suite Antique is a collection of  six early dances. They are tonal and attractive music. Evening Prayer is a rich sounding piano piece often with beautiful nuances, music perhaps standing between Debussy and Satie. The Sonata for flute and piano is the most rewarding work on this disc. It is easy on the flute but never commonplace. The sound and performances are of quality and there is an obvious sincerity in this composer’s music.

No shortage of pastiche and Satiesque humour in this Exeter-born composer’s neo-classical Suite Antique. The title track’s depiction of the River Teign draws on Glass and Reich, and satirical humour, Whitlock’s strong point, re-emerges in a finale Waltz.

This rather beautiful CD from Mr Whitlock had a dozen plays before we could press pause… simple in form and easy for the listener to appreciate quickly. Highly recommended.

Duncan Honeybourne is peerless in his handling of the [solo piano] music. The three [wind] players are assured and confident and show clear sympathy with the music. It was a real pleasure to make acquaintance with [Whitlock’s] music again and I would earnestly recommend listeners to hear music which is so immediately communicative as well as displaying the development of Whitlock’s style. Flowing waters and Evening prayer, if they are indicative of the manner in which his writing is moving, make one eager to hear more.

All [the works] are worth hearing, and were chosen to represent the kind of music which the two great German geniuses grew up with, here played on an instrument with a similar claim to our attention. The sound of this instrument is unusual and attractive … we want to hear what this harpsichord sounds like, and the solo repertoire chosen does this very well. In general,[Charlston] sounds completely at home. We have here an innovative recording, exploring mainly unfamiliar music, on a type of harpsichord which is poorly understood today.

A most enjoyable disc. The playing by harpsichordist Terence Charlston is adept at finding just the right tempos for this program. He also has some lovely registrations (all within the compass of his reconstructed instrument, of course), and I like his sense of phrasing in which the counterpoint is clear and unhurried and the dances unfold without haste or undue rhythmic distortion. This is one disc that would be a delight [for Bach] to have, unpretentious and well performed.

This new CD of Baroque harpsichord music gives an extremely pleasant and satisfying exploration of works written by Bach and Handel, as well as a good number of lesser-known contemporaries, dating from the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century. The liner-notes are a model of their kind. The playing on this CD is stunning. The sound is perfect: revealing every detail of the music and gradation and tone of the instrument’s character. A great introduction to the period.

Exciting, ringing performance of controlled virtuosity… The standard of playing throughout is of the highest quality with some tastefully added ornamentation and suitably varied articulation to add character to the pieces. This CD is highly recommended, not only because of the interesting selection of pieces and the exceptionally high performance standard but also because of the fascinating and successful matching of the repertoire with the instrument enabling us to perhaps hear the pieces at a far closer remove than on the later German instruments.

Fine musical clarity and sensitivity … exquisite performance… There are some extremely interesting and attractive works on this new disc from composers probably not heard of by most listeners. David Evans’ fine instrument adds much to Terence Charlston’s excellent performances. The CD booklet is up to Divine Art’s usual high standards with colour photographs, including one of the instrument, excellent notes by Terence Charlston together with details of the harpsichord including pitch and temperament.

[The instrument] is surprisingly resonant and is very well recorded here. Charlston handles all this with confidence and style, giving the music time to breathe while keeping forward momentum. The association of a particular instrument with music appropriate to it gives this recording a real sense of purpose which is communicated in the playing. I enjoyed it very much.

Expertly-written liner notes describe unique elements of the Thuringian harpsichord tradition; and the instrument itself records beautifully with a rich, resonant timbre. Charlston performs with elegance and refinement… virtuosic command… lyricism, graceful, well-paced phrasing. An excellent record with beautiful performances of an unusual collection of repertoire.

The nice thing about this disc is that Charlston has mostly included pieces which don’t figure on every disc with music from the early stages of Bach’s career. This is a very interesting recording which combines a compelling programme with a rather unusual sound from an intriguing instrument and an inspired and incisive interpretation. Everyone interested in Bach and/or Handel and their world should investigate this disc. The harpsichord used here should give food for thought as far as the choice of keyboard instruments is concerned.

This new CD looks at the mazurka as it developed from a dance to full-blown Romantic art-music. Musically, it makes for pleasant and relaxing music. At the end of the day, it’s a nice solo piano album, expertly delivered by Kostritsa.

Everything about this disc is ideal. The liner-notes, by Anthony Goldstone are most helpful and present a strong case for the playing of these transcriptions. The quality of the sound is clear and vibrant throughout allowing every nuance and detail to be clearly heard. The playing by Goldstone and Clemmow is superb: enthusiasm, subtlety and a concern for the works’ inherent exuberance are perfectly balanced.

In these transcriptions the playing of the outstanding British duo Goldstone and Clemmow is so good and refined, so brilliant and colorful, that we easily forget the lack of an orchestra. The music is superbly recorded and has an overwhelming sound power. – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Playing and synchronisation are technically immaculate and interpretation happily recalls that of orchestral performances

Just listened to the new Scheherazade disc – it’s magnificent! I felt like jumping up and shouting BRAVO after each movement.

Forget Rimsky for orchestra!. Just grab a copy of this… you can rest assured you will not fail to enjoy this disc

This latest work from the husband and wife team of Anthony Goldstone and Caroline Clemmow lifts what could be pedestrian pieces of work to a higher level. Goldstone and Clemmow give it a zing and sparkle. It’s an enjoyable 77 minutes. A pleasing album for piano fans.