Reviews

Ophelia Gordon plays…with admirable ease: the rhythmic accuracy and richness of color are captivating…a truly great album and an important one in the discography.

…an impressive debut recording that leaves one wanting to hear more from this bold and authentic artist.

Rayo’s warm, sweet tone and silky-smooth legato is especially successful in tender, lyrical songs… while in faster songs…she dances nimbly through the syncopated rhythms. … a joy throughout… surprisingly affecting.

The organ music is certainly rich in both intellectual depth and imagination…the brilliant young organist Forrest Eimold has produced an impressive double CD of these complex works.

The orchestration…is very skillfully done. Combined with the excellent singing of Ryan De Ryke, Ryan Townsend Strand and Kimberly Jones, the three well-chosen extracts [Two Soldiers] are a fine introduction to the individual and accessible style of Lofstrom. The song cycles which follow…show Lofstrom’s invention and his facility for word setting. Overall, this is a very attractive introduction to Doug Lofstrom’s vocal music.

This is unquestionably a tour de force and a highly significant issue. Pace is superbly equipped to tackle Finnissy’s exhilarating demands…making this set indispensable for those wishing to explore the outer reaches of transcendent virtuosity and imagination. 

The traditions of Western and Arabic music have profitably encountered each other at several points in history…none has explored the mixture in as much depth as Haitham Haidar. its ambition and passion are to be welcomed. It is an album unlike any other…

Haitham Haidar’s Zaytoun is one of the most striking solo debuts I’ve experienced for some time.

…a tremendous accomplishment on Pace’s part and an indispensable and important document…an obvious must-have

After listening to Palimpsest, one is left with a feeling of inspiration…listen, enjoy, and let Rob Hao’s music win you over.

Throughout both these sets, Ian Pace and Forrest Eimold are never other than authoritative in terms of their technical acuity or their interpretative insight. Superbly recorded and copiously annotated, they warrant urgent investigation from Finnissy aficionados and newcomers alike.

This disc by Clare and David Lesser, the British husband and wife performer-composer team, dials into Cage’s unique relationship with the radio…Endlessly fascinating.

It’s rare to come across a recording, or indeed a live concert, where one thinks “yes, that is how it should be played!”, but this was my reaction on listening to Tom Hicks’ new recording of Chopin’s Nocturnes. I cannot fault this performance; it is wonderful in so many ways. Highly recommended.

Tom Hicks’ fascinating decision-making…shows just how expressive the pieces can be…an auditory environment that becomes deeper and more welcoming every time it is experienced. 

This is a disc to cherish, a mix of the well-known and the “why haven’t I heard his before?”. Rayo and Grünberg have chosen their repertoire carefully, and lavish love, experience and wisdom upon it. Rayo is a star…Grünberg is the perfect collaborative pianist. Superb.

Rayo is a first-rate exponent of this material—to my knowledge, there hasn’t been a Spanish song recital of this caliber in a long time.

…full of texture, nuance, and depth

If the vocals lean towards crystalline, Durran’s piano is sensitive and gentle…it’s a stimulating listen.

Despite the composer’s sometimes prickly and curmudgeonly personality, this is music that is nothing short of delightful. this unknown music should take its place proudly alongside the many masterpieces produced by Malcom Williamson. My usual high recommendation…

The string quartets are magnificent….Sheppard Skaerved has dedicated his life to the violin music of our time, inspiring, I imagine, a whole new repertoire, and this is one of the finest fruits of his activity. A valuable, and astonishing, release; documentation of contemporary music as important as this is vital.