Reviews

diverse in terms of styles and formats, moods and atmospheres… [Naftel’s] music is the unmistakable contemporary voice that reveals itself in its eccentricity and individuality… The various performers give the music an individual character with their committed interpretations.

…his music keeps you on the edge of your seat…a very interesting and individualistic figure, one worth checking out.

68 minutes of most enjoyable music…5-star recording!

Overall, this is a most engaging collection of ambient pieces, offering the listener an opportunity to withdraw, reflect, and unwind to music that is sensitively performed and intelligently curated.

Enger’s project could have been titled  Das Lied von der Erde had Mahler not beat her to it 115 years ago. She’s received deserved acclaim for her playing and the sincerity with which her deeply felt interpretations are presented, and certainly the reputation she’s built as a performer and recording artist is significantly enhanced by Resonating Earth.

a fascinating…engrossing listen.

Thank goodness for discs like these…In an over-consuming world that feeds us “easy” music, recitals like this are surely vital: To remind us of what music is capable of, what musicians are capable of and, as listeners, what we ourselves are capable of. The music enshrined here has the capacity to open up whole new vistas, if we let it. Recommended.

There can be no denying the brilliance of the Kreutzer Quartet’s performances or the excellence of the recorded sound.

Dibble’s music has the ability to penetrate the classical music mainstream…Kempf’s performances sound definitive.

I very much enjoyed this disc and look forward to exploring more music by Kakabadse. The combination of spirituality and earthy joy in these pieces is quite special. All of the performances are excellent, as is the recorded sound.

…Ex Cathedra’s performances of these pieces under Jeffrey Skidmore are beyond reproach. The recorded sound too is very pleasing…This recording represents a significant achievement, and I shall seek out other recordings of this composer’s music.

The Pleyel Ensemble…bring great understanding and warmth to Pitfield’s music. Pitfield would surely have been very pleased with this disc. It will add to the continuing rediscovery of his music.

…the set has introduced me to no fewer than twelve new composers…all hugely talented, whose music is outstanding…The sound is beautifully clear…All the players are exemplary in their musicianship…Altogether, it is a fascinating and rewarding set and a suitable tribute to polymath Thomas Pitfield as well as his many friends and contemporaries with an appropriately inspired selection of works that illustrate their brilliant compositional skills.

this is the first time all 35 sonatas have been recorded by a woman pianist… Honma’s performances add to our understanding and appreciation of these great works… Her sensitivity, power, pin-sharp clarity and all-consuming commitment to this music would surely earn five stars from Beethoven.… It grabs the attention in a very Beethoven-like way… a truly admirable and musical account of these monumental works.

Leach’s love of the pastoral…is evident…Leach seems in her element…the affectionate, gossamer sounds…conjures up…a soothing, numinous poignancy. The performances on this CD are also executed with stylistic and diaphanous sympathy.

Capparelli’s playing…is sensitive and conveys a depth of feeling. The stories are solid tales of the world between ours and the mystic universe we abut

Some songs are…lovely, others livelier…Mills…understands the music well.

This recording shows the musical mastery and nuanced imagination of lan Scott’s artistry.

There seems to be an almost understated brilliance in their (Gemini Ensemble) playing and the direction from lan Mitchell. It’s a beautifully curated programme of thought-provoking words and music which transports the listener to other, very lucid worlds.

The anthology of pieces presented…are extremely interesting and decidedly demanding…Schliessmann not only demonstrates his perfect mastery of the keyboard, shaping the sound material imbued with astonishing technical difficulty, but also manages to express its moving musicality