Reviews

“I have to say that in every case [Goldstone’s] performances are more convincing than Somero’s. Goldstone manages to inject rhythmic variety and élan where Somero is turgid and stubbornly earthbound.”

This CD… did wonders for my mental health. Jeffreys’s music calmed me and made me feel that I was in good hands. Anguished thought and feelings are applied with a delicate brush and lose none of their impact for being invoked with reticence and taste. Toby’s Dreams and Elegy {are] dignified yet sometimes wry little gems. Jeffreys might not be the most daring composer on the block but there is no doubting his sincerity and his appeal. I pity any musician so jaded that he or she would be unwilling to reciprocate.

Mournful, evocative music, definitely stemming from the heart but devoid of any saccharine sentimentality. Traditional, tonal, solid old-school writing. The instrumentation is keen; Elegy for John Fry… could stand head-to-head with works in the genre by Elgar and Vaughan Williams. The recording has lot of body and creates a natural perspective and sense of open space.

An instinctive fondness for melodic lines and rich contemplative gestures…unmistakable overtones of Delius and Frank Bridge. [Elegy for John Fry] is a warm and peaceful tribute…Poem for End.. is a substantial work, beautifully paced and scored. Gentle passions and distinctive craftsmanship.

[Starts] with a recording of Jeffreys’s delightful Serenade for Strings, lively if all too brief. Jeffreys’s response [ to the Gurney words of Poem for End], as for the rest, is most sensitive, as it is even for his bold setting of the Lyke Wake Dirge. Excellent baritone, Jonathan Veira, firm and dark in tone. A very varied collection offered in clear, well-balanced sound.

[Jeffreys’][Partridge disc was highly enjoyable but in some ways this latest one scores higher because it presents music in more than one genre by this interesting composer. [Serenade] is a lovely little piece… This disc continues and expands the favourable impression made on me [by the previous one]. John Jeffreys is a sincere composer with something to say – and that something is worth hearing, This disc offers an excellent introduction to his music.

Under-rated composer John Jeffreys’ orchestral pieces are very much songs without words. The stand-out work is Poem for End.

Memorable melodies ranging from the virtuosic to the intense to intimate . Anthony Goldstone’s formidable playing is technically superb and articulate, revealing all the passion and colour in this little heard music.

Expressively varied, cleverly crafted and thematically memorable works. Goldstone has the technique and the style to perform these works. The composer could hardly wish for a better advocate. Recommended? But of course.

It is clear from the very first bars that [Goldstone] is totally at ease with both the technical aspect of this far from simple music but more importantly the idiom of it too. Goldstone’s particular musical skill is the way in which he pitches these performances so perfectly. [Glière’s] natural gift for melody… makes his music thoroughly enjoyable. The recording suits the music well…. a most desirable series and one that I hope to hear more of.

This is an excellent disc and one that should not be missed… Anthony Goldstone proves to be a superb guide to this unfamiliar repertoire. He has the full measure of it musically as well as technically. Goldstone provides also an illuminating and enthusiastic liner note – a model of its kind, add an excellent recording and you will understand my enthusiasm. This is a disc in which all those involved can take great pride. Revelatory repertoire superbly performed, recorded and beautifully presented. RECORD OF THE YEAR 2010

Lyapunov’s works have a breadth and grandness beyond that achieved by Balakirev, and in contrast with [his mentor] Balakirev’s focussed and melancholy Sonata, Lyapunov’s feels expansive and rhapsodic. There is another recording of these works (Marco Polo 8223468), but Anthony Goldstone’s is in every way preferable for insight, virtuosity – at a high level, these works require serious pianism—and recording quality. Less melancholy than Rachmaninov, more characterful than Medtner, this is music of poise, elegance and dignity that will provide much listening satisfaction.

Chopin himself would relish the conscious attempts to escape the tonality through Lisztian embellishments. What a tease! Delights galore, with performances matching the recording.

A praiseworthy enterprise… Anthony Goldstone delivers unrivalled versions of all the pieces that he records. {He} never stops at technical flamboyance, giving priority to the lyricism and the melody. Superb disc.. magnificently interpreted.

I heard someone juggling the impossible… White’s athleticism and dexterousness are undeniably impressive

They’ve managed to capture the grandeur of this symphonic work for solo piano and keep you riveted… in this form for a long time you can expect it to stand as the best

The first movement… was transcribed by remarkable musician Ronald Stevenson, the others by Christopher White. The quality of both musicans’ work on the score is consistently high. Christopher White plays with eminent skill, and he certainly has a remarkable technique. This is a serious project which deserves attention

I heard someone juggling the impossible… White’s athleticism and dexterousness are undeniably impressive

Extremely generously-filled disc is the first of a series… judging from this initial helping, there is much that one can discover and enjoy. McLachlan plays with intensity and affirmation and his razor-sharp articulation helps to make a persuasive case for this challenging music. An auspicious start to what should be a hugely stimulating cycle, with notes and sound which are both first rate.

Eloquent intensity…. McLachlan’s performance of [the Shostakovich 2] is very good indeed… McLachlan makes his personality felt in his firm delineation and intense lyricism Performance ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recording ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️