Reviews

Nearly two hours of exquisite playing. Crystal clear articulation, gentle touch, and a very judicious use of pedals. McCabe makes this seem as easy as child’s play. (Five stars and rated ‘extraordinary’)

This album is a delight. The music is sprightly and lively, even during the slower sections, and quite jolly. Entertaining throughout.

Splendid concert… although the Fitzwilliam is a quartet that uses period instruments, it phrases lyrically rather than choppily, it has wit and humor, joie de vivre, and a sparkle missing from a great many of its historically informed brethren…I certainly recommend this CD as an example of how one can play period instruments and still sound involved and charming.

Memorable live performances eminently worthy of issue… marked by a balance and maturity of conception. Haydn’s sublime … mastery is complemented by playing of rare insight.

Richly detailed, powerfully driven and suitably extrovert performance… a very fine recording.

Played with a studied balance between flair, rhythmic freedom and a characteristic attention to detail. The finale [of Didone] fair takes one’s breath away; it is amazingly played by John McCabe. Pleasure from the first note to the last.

I thoroughly enjoyed all six of these delightful and interesting works. All these pieces are mini-masterpieces, and each deserve our individual attention. The performances are convincing and always satisfy the listener’s interest… a pleasure from end to end.

This is one of the finest recordings of an organ I have heard for some time, the microphone placing being absolutely perfect. ffinch’s interpretative insight is splendid – genuine performances from a manifestly gifted musician. This disc is very strongly recommended.” (FIVE STARS)

The compositional reach over Voyages is wide, from complex orchestra to simple, effective piano writing. Unfolding over nearly three hours, Voyages is a wide-ranging experience, and certainly one worthy of investigation.

Exploring Voyages, we discover personal journeys, both geographical as well as introspective, with unique events and treasured memories. The music is very accessible and tonal, often full of wit and humour, and always atmospheric.

Sam Cave plays with excellent concentration and a sense of honesty and respect. He urges you to listen with open senses and reveals a rich world of musical being, far from the main roads of mainstream culture. He affirms the guitar’s position as an instrument capable of reaching beyond its romantic associations and becoming a medium for great, groundbreaking art. This CD is great sounding and has the power to naturally deliver the abstract beauty of this music.

The story of this delightful and quirky CD is as interesting as the music. It’s a charming idea and an equally charming album. The narration is not intrusive and the music is both exotic yet at the same time familiar.

Walker is a meticulous craftsman… Collectively these seven works constitute a rounded portrait of a truly multi-faceted composer. Performances by all the contributors on this disc are both committed and convincing. The recording is intimate yet detailed throughout. I fervently hope that there is more music by this superb composer in the pipeline.

There’s a lighter and cleaner balance than on [the Steinway disc also reviewed here], with perhaps a touch more tonal nuance. The final encounter is Murail’s recent instrumental re-interpretation of Schumann’s piano work (Kinderszenen) Op. 15, Murail using a range of instrumental techniques to make the orchestration sound larger than a trio.

[Artyomov] writes music that’s galactically huge, by which we mean it gives the impression of space and endless time; the music of the spheres. It’s imposing, but it’s not hard to listen to… enervating and uplifting,.. it also contains many moments of beauty.” (joint review with DDA 25164 and 25176)

It was the poetry of Murail’s music that inspired Ythier to link it with Schumann’s and she brings out this quality especially well.

Walker wants people to sit and listen to his music for pleasure, and not sit admiring how clever he is… all in all: an outstanding album that’s a real gem.

[Cave’s] playing convinces me that all of these works are worthy of repeated attention. Refracted Resonance is not predictable… all of the music here is challenging, not just for the performer but for also the listener. The documentation that accompanies this release is exemplary, as is the engineering.

[A] challenging but infinitely rewarding disc. Eloquence seems to be the very heart of this release… highly atmospheric, electrically virtuosic, and utterly compelling. Fascinating, stimulating fare, beautifully performed and recorded.

The objective and dispassionate approach feels very much in tune with Ustvolskaya’s uncompromising aesthetic. The performers rarely exaggerate the dynamic extremes and seem as concerned with maintaining tight ensemble and careful balances as with exploiting the music’s Expressionist drama. Sorkin plays with a controlled vibrato, which adds color, but without tipping the music over into overtly Romantic expression. And the fact that Andreeva is the guiding force behind the project is apparent from the amount of detail and commitment in the piano playing.