Reviews

A most auspicious debut recital, this. [Violetta Fialko] selects here a colorful array of solo keyboard works that illuminate her capacity for realizing distinct, musical personalities within a defined idiom.

Edward Cowie take[s] you on a journey through musical landscapes that you never imagined could exist. I thought that I had heard everything there was to hear – evidently not! Apparently unrelated subjects marry together surprisingly well in Cowie’s music. His creative musical form comes through as uniquely his own. The seven performers are absolute virtuosi. They have no need of me to ratify their brilliance.

The pianism is top-notch. Iman is a fierce and forceful advocate for the material and that he handles it with both understanding and technical skill. For those to whom material like this appeals, this release will be very welcome indeed.

The music, like much of Wagner’s, is tonal but pushes the bounds of tonality: Cook has clearly studied Wagner and absorbed, to some extent, the harmonic world in which his later operas, such as Tristan, exist. Helen Lacey sings feelingly, and Paul McKenzie’s piano accompaniment is sensitive and emotionally involved.

There’s a strong concept behind Blue Sounds. Avoiding the saturated chromaticism favoured by modernism, this is music both to ponder and enjoy.

Reeves takes the idea of blue and stretches it as much as he can.. something of a technical tour de force. Hicks’ playing is very impressive.

Métier is quickly becoming one of my favorite record labels, showing a commitment to really GOOD new music that doesn’t sound like an explosion in a metalworks factory. These are interesting pieces, worth checking out. [Sound Dunes] is an EXCELLENT piece of music—so good, in fact, that it is worth the price of the full album.

This multifaceted CD will appeal to listeners who have a strong interest in how today’s composers think about and rethink various instruments (including the voice) and traditional forms.

Rhona Clarke’s music on this disc covers a wide range of expression, and reveals a composer of rare gifts, , revealing a sensitivity to word-setting exceptional amongst living composers. Fascinating and in many ways quite original. A most interesting and very worthwhile disc, well presented and finely recorded.

Raftery’s second quartet more than adequately speaks for itself to the extent that it is the most absorbing new string quartet that I have had the pleasure to encounter recently. Throughout the various forms and textures offered to the listener on this generously filled disc, one is constantly aware that none of this music is just a score on a printed page. Everything here is wonderfully attuned to the specific characteristics innate to the various instruments and forces for which Raftery composes. This is exemplified in his writing for voices. The performance by EXAUDI on all the choral pieces here is magnificent. . I feel that nothing I have written here fully does justice to the richness of textures and sonorities nor the sheer generosity of invention on display on this CD. To sum up, this is one of the most richly stimulating, impressive and sheerly enjoyable CDs of music, new or old, that I have heard in quite some time.

As evidenced by this very enjoyable CD [Saxton’s] music has no lack of freshness and vigour. This is a very well prepared and presented disc that does an excellent job of providing a portrait of the composer. Saxton is lucky to have his music played by so many fine young musicians. His language is informed by the past without being slavishly redolent of it, whether that be the twentieth century, the eighteenth century or whatever. He has clear influences but he has his own sound.

WHAT A PERFORMANCE! 2022 WINNER>>>>>>This is really interesting music for the listener to follow. Few composers could handle this sort of thing with the grace and intelligence of Cowie; What I particularly admire about Cowie is that, as this record proves, he is not a “one style” composer. He can think outside the box and produce a varied oeuvre of works that complement each other without all sounding alike. Very highly recommended!

Faith-Based Initiative, which is largely tonal and somewhat reminiscent of Ives, is a single movement that effectively puts across a sense of darkness (if not despair), warmth, and a kind of underlying hope. The overall message of Friendly Fire is a thoroughly straightforward antiwar one and the instrumental ensemble accompanies the narrative with a strong emphasis on the percussive quality of all the instruments.

A Hymn to the Thames is moody, expressive, evocative both of the river and of its surroundings. Fantasy Pieces is a set of six movements for violin, cello and piano, and although it is well-crafted and does a good job of balancing the three instruments while allowing each some leadership time. The piano contribution [in Tine and the Seasons] is often significant for scene-setting.

An outstanding and imaginative artist. From the very first notes, one is aware of the fact that Iman is an artist and not just a technician. His phrasing and subtle use of dynamics (as well as occasional use of the hold pedal) mold and shape this music in ways I’ve never quite heard before.

What holds the listener’s attention for the full set is the variety of mood and character, these are quite lovely piano pieces. The sound here is natural and very clean. Mead, for whom the music was composed, plays with complete identification and brilliant technique. This CD is warmly recommended.

Rhona Clarke’s mastery of choral writing manifests itself in several ways. While Clarke is not shy about challenging her singers, her compositions always respect the beauty of the human voice. This is a superb release in every respect.

Clarke’s wide-ranging writing (gleaming dissonance, vocal glissando, glowing harmonies) seems to invoke eternity. This is a lovely disc. Rhona Clarke’s music is certainly worthy of attention, and it is wonderful to hear it in performances of this calibre.

Mesmerizingly beautiful material. There is a nice variety of dramatic landscapes here. this inspirational and highly imaginative music deserves a wider audience.

With an abundance of lesser-known pieces and the absence of the best-known Joplin rags, this is a perfect complement to whatever you might already have. Nonken’s scholarship matches her stylistically perfect playing. You will hear adventurous harmonies and turns of melody. You will also be tapping your foot to this program.