Reviews

Approachable, enjoyable and satisfying from first note to the last. There is much beauty in these pages. The listener will be inspired and moved. The performance by Cor Cantiamo is superb in every way.

Demopoulos is a demonstrative, inventive pianist, his musical explorations evocative of life and experience. On the evidence of this adventurous set, he deserves a wide audience.

The players are fabulous. The reactions of London Myriad are astonishing; the music, as a result, full of joie de vivre. Delicious, frothy and delightful music is performed impeccably by London Myriad.

The performances here are excellent. McCabe, showing a great affinity for Clementi’s piano sonatas, uncovers astonishing new realms of beauty.The accompanying notes by the composer’s widow lift this recording out of the stack of new releases with which we are all inundated and into the realm of something special.

These pieces are beautifully atmospheric and evocative. This disc again has an especially beautiful booklet, both in terms of the art design and the color photos that illustrate each piece.

Ed Hughes’s music comes as a refreshing change. The composer is willing and able to use a wide variety of musical inspirations and palettes. The opening work on this CD is superb. Media Vita is a remarkable work. [Sinfonia] is a remarkably taut score, with many felicitous moments. The playing is excellent in all three works. The recording is ideal.

An especially lucid reading … brilliant, upper register filigree. . Soldano assigns [the Sonata] both a lyric and manic character at once, creating a sense of colliding impulses, creative and self-destructive.

There is much to enjoy in this disc. The playing is of the highest standard and the ensemble consistently excellent; not to be underestimated given the contrasting tones of the four wind instruments.

World première recordings of twenty-three woodwind miniatures by Robin Stevens. Some of the pieces are as astonishing as they are attractive. [A] hugely revelatory parade of woodwind instruments.

The title of this rich disc alludes to England and its music. The technique recalls Peter Maxwell Davies; the sensibility is different.

With this album of archive experimental recordings, “not at all unpleasant” would seem to be a decent review, given the circumstances of its recording. It’s remarkable it even works. Not for everyone but interesting nonetheless.

It’s got a contemplative feel to it – meditative, atmospheric and thoughtful, while not being too heavyweight. Organ music is probably not to everyone’s taste but this programme of work is most un-organ-like in many places, a contemplative CD.

Östlund’s 2019 double CD Voyages and 2020’s Mistral elevate him to the status of the 21st century’s Debussy.

Östlund’s 2019 double CD Voyages and 2020’s Mistral elevate him to the status of the 21st century’s Debussy.

Première recordings of five works full of interest, splendidly played and recorded, with the Waldo Warner a particular highlight. Throughout this fascinating and engaging recital programme, I can’t fault the playing of the Trio Anima Mundi who impress with their directness and level of expression, so consistent in teamwork. Beautifully recorded, the sound is clear and well-balanced.

The many years of experience in making music together produce a flawless result, based on instinctive understanding and full trust between musicians. The presentation is characterized by fine lines and lively structure.

Another outstanding CD… Violist Alan George’s outstanding booklet notes once again add immensely to our understanding of these almost symphonic works and the performance questions they raise – questions superbly answered by the FSQ. The resulting performances consequently have a feeling of authenticity that is quite remarkable and perfectly exploits the emotional range of these visionary works.

English soprano Sara Stowe is a versatile and inventive musician… Stowe does us a favour, presenting her recital of songs by seminal later-generation high modernists with virtuoso verve. She committedly follows their demanding performance instructions and groundbreaking aesthetics, by the end winning over those who care to listen with her exhilarating musicality.

Soldano’s playing left me both impressed and amazed. Alfonso Soldano is brilliant in every way. RECOMMENDED…

This eminently worthwhile release opens the window on a neglected corpus of English chamber music. The Stanford/Elgar/Bantock/VW example wasn’t the only English one.