Reviews

Natalia Andreeva is a Russian pianist of consummate skill who can express the music’s power and beauty of this music. She is joined here by the exceptionally talented Russian-born violinist Evgeny Sorkin to mark the centenary of Ustvolskaya’s birth on June 17 with these assured recordings.

An ambitious exploration of chamber works featuring this versatile and underrepresented member of the woodwind family. The discs offer a window into the world of the bass clari¬net, creating a welcome space for the instrument to show its many varied colours. The collection of tracks presented as two ‘sets’ is deliberately far reaching and includes composers whose styles vary enor¬mously. Performances (throughout the disc) are immaculate.

An enjoyable album with a varied and interesting sound, thanks to the balance between the more dominant horn and the piano. The variety of styles, from polite chamber music to some more out-there modern music, works well.

An intensely serious absorption in music and the sources of its inspiration. The performances give every appearance of being devoted and skilled.

Fine accounts of music – well played and recorded – that has little time for conventional sheen or veneer. Ustvolskaya confides in you, but with an unwaveringly intimidating gaze and towering concentration. Performances demand and here receive such qualities.

Redgate’s omnivorous predilections and superlative musicianship are eclipsed only by his excellent taste in collaborators.

A remarkable collection of several finely thought pieces of pure artwork…seven truly pioneering and atmospheric piano solos. McCabe’s considerable virtuosic piano skills certainly meet the challenge presented by this impressive collection, which plunders some dramatic compositions.

These superbly committed performances can hardly be better presented then they are here. The attentive listener will be sufficiently impressed as to want to explore the symphony fuller through repeated listening – in which case, the recording here offers the perfect solution. Collectors of this most important series need not hesitate.

This real hodgepodge of a disc is all the more entertaining for it. The Chamber Cantata.. is an absolute gem. Practical Cats… is an absolute delight, beautifully rendered. Great sound throughout.

Galant in style, but quite refreshing… this can be recommended for the skill of the performer and the delightful creativity within the confines of the historical period.

The program is varied and includes works by composers not usually associated with piano music. Marvelously eclectic.

John Buckley is one of those composers who can write adeptly in just about any style he chooses. The choir champions Buckley’s music with handsome tone and expressive colors.

These works are more somber than lyrical, more ecstatic than passionate; luminous clusters of string sound and intense melodies with wide intervals abound. They still sound very good after all these years, and the performances hold up, too.

The listener is allowed the mental space to embark on a personal meditation as the music weaves in and out of different sound worlds. Fans of Adams and Gubaidulina will find much to enjoy here.

There are 12 Suites in this collection, played brilliantly by veteran harpsichordist Gilbert Rowland. This is a welcome exploration of the work of a composer who has been called the Chopin of the seventeenth century.

The sheer variety of the music, its typically “sunny disposition”, its sometimes surprising intensity and often intimate mood make for an enjoyable and satisfying musical experience. The sound is superb.

The songs chosen for this album range from the simplistic to the most complex, and represent the eclectic range of styles Ives used, from jazz to gospel; the Cowell section is more avant-garde. An interesting selection.

Beautiful and timeless, interesting and not too challenging; any choir singers would find the album educational, maybe even inspirational.

[A] fascinating and stimulating release. The horn soloist Etienne Cutajar is a master of his instrument and always provides an excellent and inspiring performance. His technical skill and imagination are especially apparent in the modern works.

Liturgical in tone and slow, but not sombre. More of a sense of peace, and almost majestic in places. Music to be played and listened to – a nice collection of music.