‘This gigantic and powerful work … might have been custom-built for Marc-André Hamelin, the Canadian pianist with a particular flair for the grandiose, eccentric, or otherwise out of the ordinary … there is nothing in Hamelin’s latest Hyperion album (there are 89 others) to break the rule of thumb where this splendid artist is concerned: when Hamelin plays, you stop and listen’ (The Times)

‘Hamelin a mix of flamboyance and poise, keyboard scorched, music lucid … all very fine’ (colinscolumn.com)» More

‘It’s no surprise that excerpts from Carmen kick things off, and one understands quickly just why she's so in demand as Bizet’s fierce heroine. The full, wine-dark quality of her instrument is immediately appealing; there’s an evenness and comfort across the voice’s entire range; and a self-assurance and poise that underpins every phrase. Akhmetshina is a calculating, restrained Carmen, appealing with undercurrents of danger … her ability to seamlessly traverse the very different roles on this recording puts you in mind of early Shirley Verrett or Agnes Baltsa, but that sumptuousness of tone is all her own. A Bashkir folk song is a lovely, moving conclusion to this most successful debut recording, which heralds a generational talent’ (Limelight, Australia)

„Hamelin wählt klassisch ausgewogene Tempi für alle Sätze, etwas schneller als Brendel oder Gilels, aber keineswegs halsbrecherisch. Alles klingt präzise, rhythmisch ausgewogen und transparent, ohne exzessive Agogik“ (Rondo, Germany)

‘This is an absorbing release, and not only one for Renaissance choral buffs; it plunges the listener into the creativity of the era’ (AllMusic, USA)

‘Observing Beethoven’s fast metronome marking in spirit if not in fact, Hamelin chooses a suitably propulsive pace for the first movement [of Op 106] that permits nuances of color and line to register meaningfully without compromising forward momentum … lucid booklet notes by the veteran Beethoven authority Barry Cooper add to the appeal of this well-recorded release. If you want only one Hammerklavier, this will do nicely’ (Classical Voice North America)

‘Unlike most chanson collections, this one is characterized throughout by a hushed and reverential tone as well as by The Gesualdo Six’s standard-setting blend and intonation. Another winner from this amazing ensemble’ (CD Hotlist, USA)

«Parution, en ce premier vendredi d’octobre, d’un disque très attendu … cette lecture au laser, qui possède une rigueur héritée de Bach, est donc admirable» (Le Devoir)

‘The seven ‘Friedemann’ preludes sound especially effective as rendered on the clavichord by Esfahani, his intimate fluctuations of dynamic and tempo drawn out with beguiling freedom and sensitivity of characterisation—one ends heart-rendingly with the final note almost inaudible, like a gasp. The same strength of inspiration is evident in the similarly miniaturised Inventions, and they are no less skilfully rendered on the clavichord … Esfahani considers each of these little jewels on its own merits, and by the time we have journeyed through almost-fugues and the twisting chromaticism of the F minor, the 16-foot stop is out for the 15th and last Sinfonia, all unworthy thoughts of smallness now firmly banished’ (Gramophone)

‘Refined nobility, compelling abandon, fluid articulation and unrestrained dynamics are all key factors that Hamelin brings to the music. It's as if he is so far above and beyond the technical pianistic requirements of the music that he can easily and freely reveal Beethoven's anima within the written score’ (Classical Music Sentinel)

‘Given Marc-André Hamelin's unimpeachable technical prowess, it is no surprise that he tackles the epic Hammerklavier Sonata for his first recording of music by Beethoven. Hamelin's tempos are rapid, though well under Beethoven's unreasonably fast metronome markings. This allows lyrical passages to breathe expressively, and for Hamelin to apply a variety of colouring to Beethoven's many surprising harmonic shifts … unsurprisingly, the wild fourth movement fugue of the Hammerklavier is dispatched with exciting technical security. More surprisingly, this does not conclude the album, but instead we jump back 23 years to continue with Beethoven's third published sonata, Op 2 No 3 in C Major. This early work benefits from Hamelin's crisp articulations and sparkling passagework’ (The Whole Note, Canada)

«On peut certainement parler d’excellence. On peut parler de clarté absolue dans le propos pianistique, dans la caractérisation des voix, des thèmes et de l’architecture complexe de ce monumental édifice musical. On peut parler d’une lecture remarquable à bien des égards» (PAN M 360, Canada)