Reviews

I found the entire [piano] concerto deeply moving and completely satisfying. The balance of soloist and orchestra is first-rate. [Aspects of Saturn is] perfectly formed and quite simply gorgeous. This is a fascinating retrospective of Marcus Blunt’s orchestral music. The four works are well-chosen to provide an excellent introduction to his musical idiom. The quality of the recording is ideal.

It comes as a treat to hear Elspeth Wyllie’s thoughtful and expressive rendition of the original version [of Enigma], which offers an intimacy and sweetness that the orchestra can’t match. This is a nicely recorded and beautifully played program of often pensive music that’s perfect for a quiet, rainy autumn afternoon.

Impressive sound, fine technique, and unfailing musical values

Measures up very well, with the notes seeming to glow.

d’Ascoli brings you as close to Chopin’s intentions as could be possible… a unique extra ingredient to the whole. Soak in Bernard d’Ascoli’s delight in flinging his deft fingers into dramatic bouts of virtuosity, yet never losing the overall shape and purpose of the musical architecture.

D’Ascoli’s well-rounded technique meets every demand… Textures are clear, melodies are shaped with a singer’s sense of line, and inner voices are handled with subtlety. He also has a fine sense of structure… directness of approach, firm rhythm, tonal refinement and judicious use of rubato…[an] impressive disc.

This rather wonderful CD is an impressionist description of landscape… it is engrossing and draws in the listener. It’s rich in content, and Sheppard Skærved never does anything less than world class. Moody music for sure, but worth investigating.

Brexit… but we should make sure not to miss UK music in future. Seven first recordings of works by very different British composers… ranges from the very beautiful violin concerto by Guto Puw to the passionate Rhapsody by Geoffrey Poole.

Jeremy Huw Williams is a subtle singer with effectively nuanced phrasing. He is accompanied steadily by Nigel Foster in some challenging songs. This series will appeal to lovers of 20th Century English song, particularly if they are interested in worthy songs that have fallen by the wayside and are unlikely to be available elsewhere.

Stephen Foulkes has a firm and steady voice and sings with exemplary diction. Colin Hunt, a Bath pianist, supplied fine accompaniment.

The sound is clear and allows a chance to hear a fine array of 20th Century English songs. Stephen Foulkes has a firm and steady voice and sings with exemplary diction. [Pianist] David Bednall is another Somerset treasure.

This recording was made at a concert given in May 2003. The performances are worth preserving. . The diction of all is excellent—I didn’t need to consult the booklet very often to understand what was sung. Many of these songs are little known gems that aren’t heard on these shores very often, if at all.

Chris Gekker’s full and warm trumpet sound is always welcome. Chris Vadala is the fine tenor saxophonist. Clara O’Brien is the rich-voiced mezzo soprano. Beautiful playing and collaborating by pianist Rita Sloan.

Mr Wright has the prodigious technique these arrangements require. Wright’s two Lisztian arrangements are excellent—the most desirable nine minutes here. Excellent sound.

[A] virtuoso compilation of recordings, pieces and performances that bring together a myriad of personas. All of these pieces address in some way live-ness, the musical poetics of distance and nearness. What could have possibly gone underway in the rush of live performance is captured in recording, flickering instability becoming itself textual. Perhaps, this speculative listening environment encompasses the situation of listening to these recordings – metaphorically blindfolded to the live bodies of the performers, we lead these bodies through our auscultation into the imaginal daylight of hearing.

[Craig’s] second disc for Metier is perhaps the most challenging and avant-garde collection that I have heard in some time. Bravo to Craig for continuing to strike out into the unknown.

Schoenberg’s bizarre Buch der Hängenden Gärten will probably never end up on anybody’s list of favorite song cycles. The vocal line is extremely, sometimes frustratingly challenging; and there is no “pay-off” for the performer at the end. Stefan George’s poems are dense with concentrated poetic images that make them difficult to penetrate. It’s hard to […]

All delightfully presented. Soldano definitely relishes all of the peculiarities of the composer’s writing. Great sound and praiseworthy notes.

Turner’s style is tonal but interesting, lyrical with harmonic twists. He has a very personal style, and successfully avoids direct influence from the more major contemporary carol writers. A disc worth exploring.

The sound is somewhere between modern and more traditional. We also found it approachable; perhaps because there are hints of popular music in here, with nods to jazz and even popular classical music.