‘This is, at any time of the year and in any place, a really lovely recording of some exquisite singing … as seasonal music goes, this new release from Hyperion is almost 70 minutes of pure magic’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘While Brahms’s Lieder discography is far from as comprehensive as Schubert’s it is still large enough to be a challenge for any newcomer, and a soprano has to compete with great names from the past—and not so distant past. Browsing my own not too extensive collection I found names like Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Irmgard Seefried, Elly Ameling, Edith Mathis and Jessye Norman, who have all made indelible impressions through their recordings. What then has a young soprano, who here makes her CD debut, to offer against such competition? Quite a lot, actually … a fresh, unscathed voice of considerable beauty and a willingness to find adequate nuances. Her piano and pianissimo singing is lovely throughout … I look forward to hearing more from Harriet Burns’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘A highly enjoyable mix of eighteenth-century concertos from around Europe reminding us how interrelated many of these composers' lives—and their music—actually were’ (BBC Record Review)

‘Some series there are which get things so consistently right that … it’s very difficult to say anything new about them … La Serenissima’s undoubted expertise in Vivaldi is now equalled by their Telemann … [there] are fine all-Telemann special collections, but I’d find it hard to prefer any one of them to La Serenissima on the new album’ (MusicWeb International)

‘It’s a beautiful sound … they just blend perfectly together … the timbre’s interesting as well. You’ve got countertenor Terry Wey on the top of the texture, and he’s a little bit of a magician with this kind of consort singing … the vocal control is quite remarkable’ (BBC Record Review)» More

‘It seems almost superfluous to say so by now but the singing of The Tallis Scholars is on the usual exalted level throughout this disc. Blend, tuning and ensemble are absolutely impeccable. The music for both masses has been edited by Timothy Symons. Of course, Josquin left no expression marks or dynamics in his scores; all that and much more is left to the interpretative skills of Peter Phillips and the execution of his expert singers. Suffice to say that they bring this music vividly to life: these performances are characterised by musical flair and imagination as much as by scholarship. The engineering was in the safe hands of Philip Hobbs. He’s well used to recording this ensemble in the lovely acoustic of Merton College Chapel and the results of his work delight the ear: the recording is truthful and expertly balanced. As ever with Gimell, the documentation is first class. This, I believe is the penultimate release in this Josquin series. I look forward very much to the completion of this important series in due course. This latest disc, though, is a mandatory and self-recommending purchase for everyone who has been following the series’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘I approached this disc with keen anticipation; it was evident almost at once that I would not be disappointed … Gerald Finley’s imaginative, characterful and beautiful singing here compels the listener’s attention. However, it would be a grave injustice to overlook the marvellous contribution of Julius Drake, whose pianism is insightful and a consistent source of pleasure. Theirs is a true partnership … this is a deeply satisfying disc. The music is magnificent and the artists serve both composers marvellously’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘How long is it since your jaw dropped—I mean, actually dropped? Too long? OK, get hold of this CD and listen to track 6 … perhaps the highest praise for Gugnin arises from the fact that, throughout these remarkable and highly contrasted works, one mostly forgets about the existence of an ‘interpreter’, so directly does the composer’s voice speak to us. The unobtrusively perfect Hyperion recording helps this impression further. Compared to the symphonies, concertos and quartets, this is an unfamiliar part of Shostakovich’s huge oeuvre, so this recording has that inherent value; but it is undoubtedly also a confirmation of the arrival of an outstanding talent on the world musical scene’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘The performances seem to me absolutely superb. Trinity College Choir is made up of current undergraduates, and so has a continually changing membership. Nevertheless, Stephen Layton has welded them into a coherent and consistent ensemble, rhythmically crisp, tonally warm, sensitive to the rapidly changing moods of the music and rising effortlessly—or so at least it seems—to the climaxes and complex passages. I cannot imagine better performances’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘If any CD can make you an instant fan of this Hungarian composer, this is it. If you love Brahms, it is likely you will adore this music … a gem of a recording’ (The Arts Fuse, USA)» More

‘There are moments where it's really stunning and I don't think it could have been done quite so well in any other way … wonderful stuff … something that's airbrushed into anonymity is not satisfying and exciting and visceral to listen to, and this is definitely real playing’ (BBC Record Review)

‘Many immaculate recordings by some professional groups of this period can lack vibrancy, tone and passion, but these interpretations reflect true commitment to the texts. Moreover, David Rowell’s sound balance and Adrian Peacock’s production are both of an extremely high standard whilst Peter Phillips’ liner notes are, as usual, highly informative’ (Cathedral Music)» More