„Alles in allem offenbart die Programmauswahl die Stärken ihres durch und durch lyrischen Soprans, der wunderbar aufblühen kann wie in den beseelten „Sechs Gesängen“ op. 7, in denen auch Gedichte von Eichendorff und Uhland vertont wurden. Sie sind deutsche Romantik pur, und Harriet Burns offenbart einen tiefen Sinn und eine Begabung für derlei Repertoire“ (Opera Lounge, Germany)

‘Here we have a real partnership: they phrase and seem to breathe together. They can also show great restraint … Brahms may require a good deal of weight, particularly in the piano parts, but he benefits from an approach which does not aim to squeeze out all the sentiment but uses suggestion and nuance. In the G major work, they offer gentle playing with a lift to the rhythm in the first movement and an excellent build up to the climax of the development. They keep the slow movement moving and the mysterious passage towards the end is particularly finely realized. The finale is tender and fragile with no sense of rush … there are, of course, many other recordings of the Brahms violin sonatas, including such classics as Suk with Katchen and Perlman with Ashkenazy. This is a worthy successor and will give much pleasure’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘Under Mahan Esfahani’s fleet fingers, and even fleeter imagination, [the Toccatas] positively fly … Esfahani continually finds more in the music than the page might suggest … fugues that in other performances outstay their welcome simply don’t. Esfahani perfectly understands the toccatas’ architecture, yet celebrates their quirkiness and, interrogating every note, is generous with expressive pauses’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More

‘Buoyed by Johnson’s acutely judged accompaniments, the fresh-toned young soprano Harriet Burns, on her CD debut, spins a pure line and responds sensitively to the echt-Brahmsian moods of loneliness, regret and pathos … in the Deutsche Volkslieder, several sung here as duets, she and tenor Robin Tritschler nicely balance artlessness and telling characterisation’ (Gramophone)

„Hat hier jemand Sonate gesagt? Dabei klingt dieser Brahms mit Alina Ibragimova und Cédric Tiberghien wie ein veritables Violinkonzert, nein, wie ein verspieltes Ständchen, pardon: ein inniges Liebeslied. Oder doch wie eine Improvisation? So hat man Brahms noch nie gehört. Ganz selbstverständlich gelingt es Ibragimova, den deutschen Romantiker mit dem Sound der russischen Violinschule, perfekter Technik und viel Persönlichkeit neu zu hören. Wunderbar!“ (Kultur-Tipp, Switzerland)

‘The finale of Op 100 conveys both warmth and wonder through subtle colouring, supple phrasing and a streamlined narrative trajectory; and the delicacy of Op 108’s third movement is ravishing, thanks in large part to Tiberghien’s feather-light touch. Indeed, the pianist’s playing is captivating throughout, his pianissimos just as breathtaking as his partner’s’ (Gramophone)

‘Trinity’s mixed young adults are effortless in the ease with which they respond to Layton’s exacting demands … Layton’s idiomatically fine-tuned direction lovingly sculpts the rolling contours with the imprimatur of a true connoisseur’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘It was apparent from the opening bars that this was to be a CD of outstanding quality—in respect of the music (Finzi was a true original), performance (Layton and the Trinity College forces in top form), and sound production (David Hinitt the recording engineer and Adrian Peacock the producer) … all in all, this CD is a masterly production by all concerned and demands to be heard’ (British Music Society Journal)

‘Cunningham and London Early Opera offer optimal accompaniment: breathless silences into which Crowe drops her shining notes, a crisp stride underneath Bevan's perorations, fragile siciliano accompaniment as a foil to Crowe's swelling assurance and, in duets, a respectful retreat … Handel has never sounded better’ (BBC Music Magazine)

„Mit dem mittlerweile 22. Teil der CD-Reihe „The Romantic Violin Concerto“ legt das Label Hyperion erneut drei Einspielungen vor, die daran gemahnen, wie beschränkt das heute allseits erklingende Konzertrepertoire ist und wie sinnvoll es erscheint, den oft zu Unrecht vergessenen Werken der Vergangenheit nachzuspüren … [in dem Violinkonzert Scharwenkas] formt Roth den Solopart unter gekonntem Einsatz von Agogik ausgesprochen plastisch, wobei er umsichtig genug ist, in den emphatischen Abschnitten von Kopfsatz und Finale sein klangvolles Vibrato nicht übermäßig zu strapazieren … fulminanter Schlusspunkt der Einspielung ist das kurze, einsätzige Violinkonzert (1943/44) von Rued Langgaard (1893–1952), dessen musikalische Besonderheiten—eine rhythmisch prägnante Motivik sowie die Integration eines Klavierparts in das Orchester—die Mitwirkenden zu Höchstleistungen anspornen“ (Das Orchester, Germany)» More

‘The D major Concerto by Lassen is the real find here, gorgeously melodious and full of unexpected twists and turns. Roth is on fine form’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘That evergreen theme of courtly love inspires in Machaut extraordinary harmonies and beautiful, primitive counterpoint. The singers combine pin-sharp tuning and gentle phrasing in this seductive collection’ (BBC Music Magazine)