Reviews

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.

Östlund’s style is romantic and impressionist, but with a unique voice that keeps it interesting. This is essentially a concept album… The music moves from one aesthetic environment to the next—from fresh spring waters and moonlit nights to twilit autumn trees and stark winter winds.”

This is a great disc of spectacular performances; Lon¬don Myriad has done a tremendous job here of programming: all of these pieces are classics in their own right.

This is very difficult music per¬formed at a very high level. Byzantine Doxology is a magical and moving piece.

This new release from Divine Art is typically very enjoyable… [a] diverse and variable selection of wind music… excellent introduction to Robin Stevens’ music. I cannot fault the sound quality here and the playing in every case is enthusiastic, committed and technically convincing.