‘Emmanuel Despax convinces that a resurrection [of the Bronsart] is in order: the rousing—and just a little gaudy—first movement is countered by a gorgeous Adagio; Despax is dolce throughout. The energetic Tarantella finale sees pianist and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra share frothy melodies.’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Here's that increasing rarity: a Baroque disc with no conceptual axe to grind, no over-arching theme—save for giving members of The English Concert a concerto moment in the sun—and seemingly out to do little more than delight (which it does so in spades) … galvanised, buoyant, everything is moulded with scrupulous good taste and sparkle’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘The Brabant Ensemble sing with an unfussy elegance, keeping textures clear and unhurried; I particularly like the simplicity with which they approach the most emotional moments such as the Credo’s ‘Crucifixus etiam pro nobis’ and ‘Et resurrexit tertia die’ … the real jewel on this disc is the motet Ascendens Christus in altum. Fuller and richer than one might expect from Févin, a recent discovery has firmed up his attribution. This motet in particular suits The Brabant Ensemble extremely well, showcasing their wonderfully bright sopranos in a ravishing trio, ‘Elevatis manibus ferebatur in caelum’ (‘Lifting his hands, he was carried up to heaven’). These larger motets with cascading upper voices are what this ensemble does best, and this particular one is especially gorgeous’ (Gramophone)

‘From the start, the qualities of the playing are as good as ever … with the sweet, fibrous sound of gut strings, limited application of vibrato, unanimity of phrasing and articulation, and an unerring instinct for tempos: slow movements that sing, soulfully; swift finales, but nothing unmusically fast; and well-pointed minuets and trios. Intimately recorded … but with warmth around that grain and detail’ (BBC Record Review)

‘Reviewing the LHQ’s Op 50 set in 2016 I found their performances ‘civilised, carefully prepared and spacious to a T’, and nothing here makes me revise that … finales are crisply articulated with plenty of dancelike bounce—the final Prestos of Nos 1 and 6 being wonderfully buoyant cases in point. So there’s plenty of character here (the performance of the undervalued No 3 in B flat is particularly coherent and engaging) … Hyperion’s recorded sound captures that small-room acoustic persuasively while still letting Jonathan Manson’s cello glow, and you do get the sense (more vital to Op 64 than the quartets that succeeded it) of this music being something understood between friends’ (Gramophone)

‘How does Leslie Howard keep finding these pieces? The most substantial here is the original Hungarian Rhapsody No 23, which already sounds like a polished work. With his rounded, penetrating tone, Howard always underlines the beauty of the music, playing the Rhapsody as a fully fledged masterpiece.’ (Pianist)

‘2018 will go down as the year when not only did cricketer Alastair Cook finish his Test career with a century, but Leslie Howard made his 100th disc of Liszt piano music … Howard's mix of sensitivity and virtuosity is matched by the beautiful tone of the Potton Hall Steinway’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘A commendable venture, thoughtfully programmed and featuring strong performances throughout’ (BBC Music Magazine)

'I due rondeaux e le quattro ballades presenti in questo disco sono piccoli trattati poetici sulle virtù e sulle pene dell’amor cortese, di cui Machaut è stato uno dei più raffinati cantori, e con il quale l’Orlando Consort è entrato oramai in profonda e perfetta sintonia' (Giornale della Musica, Italy)

‘The other major coup is Le lay de confort … a splendid performance, ranking among the best single Machaut songs on records … altogether, this series goes from strength to strength’ (Fanfare, USA)» More

‘This recording provides further confirmation of Mahan Esfahani’s status among the finest keyboard players of his generation. For listeners who relish challenging material and interpretations on the harpsichord, he is perhaps the most exciting exponent in the present day … I found that Esfahani’s interpretations on his chosen instruments gave me fresh insights into pieces by composers with whom I am very familiar. I hope other readers will investigate this thoughtful, stimulating and quite outstanding record’ (Early Music Review)» More

‘As exhilarating a musical experience as I know … even Liszt would doff the cap at Esfahani’s furious arpeggios and decorative flourishes, fingers flying at the speed of light … definitely one of my albums of the year’ (The Times)» More