27 September 2019
Le Devoir, Christophe Huss
Chopin: Impromptus, waltzes & mazurkas
Studio Master: CDA68273  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

«Kolesnikov est le fascinateur qui, dans une ambiance sonore beaucoup plus calculée et sur un piano sans failles, vient vous hypnotiser et vous attirer dans son univers dès la Valse op. 69 no 1» (Le Devoir)» More

27 September 2019
The Times, Geoff Brown
Chopin: Impromptus, waltzes & mazurkas
Studio Master: CDA68273  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

‘What makes this special? … it’s the high poetry of [Kolesnikov's] fingering, conjuring from his Yamaha CFX concert grand … sounds of such deftness and clarity that my mouth kept dropping open’ (The Times)» More

27 September 2019

Shostakovich: Preludes & Piano Sonatas
Studio Master: CDA68267  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

‘Gugnin is a Moscow/Como-trained pianist of platinum technique with a wealth of imagination and fantasy. Aspects of this Shostakovich album remind me of the young Demidenko in his glory years—a Hyperion signing from earlier days. There's the same sense of urgent rhythmic spring, the ability to pulverise and poeticise, the icy attention to textural clarity and chordal voicing, the foundational weight of bass registering, the wideness of dynamic range. It's a galvanising chemistry … outstanding’ (Classical Source)» More

26 September 2019
WDR 3, Désirée Löffler
Pfitzner & Braunfels: Piano Concertos
Studio Master: CDA68258  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

„[Die] langsamen Sätze bergen die letzte und vielleicht größte Gemeinsamkeit : Sowohl Hans Pfitzner als auch Walter Braunfels trauten sich, in einer Zeit, in der Schönklang und Innigkeit langsam aber sicher in die Kritik gerieten, ihr Innerstes nach außen zu kehren. Was in diesen Sätzen zu hören ist, ist keine routinierte Schwelgerei, sondern tiefes Gefühl. So zumindest verkaufen es Constantin Trinks, Markus Becker und das Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin“ (WDR 3)
PERFORMANCE
RECORDING
21 September 2019
Rondo, Germany, Michael Wersin
Pfitzner & Braunfels: Piano Concertos
Studio Master: CDA68258  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

„Hörenswerte Werke also, die bei Markus Becker in überaus kompetenten Händen sind. Immer wieder macht dieser Pianist mit ganz besonderen Projekten auf sich aufmerksam: Seinen brillanten interpretatorischen Leistungen und seinem gediegenen künstlerischen Habitus nach darf er sich zu den wirklich bemerkenswerten Pianisten unserer Zeit rechnen … das Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin unter Constantin Trinks begleitet Becker engagiert und routiniert auf seinem anstrengenden Weg durch die schwierigen Soloparts“ (Rondo, Germany)» More

20 September 2019
Ludwig Van, Canada
Shostakovich: Preludes & Piano Sonatas
Studio Master: CDA68267  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

‘If I listen one more time to Andrey Gugnin playing DSCH I shall probably be locked up for my own safety’ (Ludwig Van, Canada)

18 September 2019

Stanford: A Song of Agincourt & other works
Studio Master: CDA68283  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

‘This most welcome disc from Hyperion continues the recent trend whereby music by Stanford that has been completely neglected and, frankly, largely forgotten receives an overdue revival … the recording has been engineered very successfully by Ben Connellan and produced by Annabel Connellan: they’ve done a fine job. The excellent notes are by Stanford expert Jeremy Dibble … I suspect that most, if not all the items are new to the recording studio. All are well worth hearing, especially in such good performances and their neglect is unjustified. Our knowledge of Stanford’s music is hereby expanded and that can only be a good thing’ (MusicWeb International)» More
8 September 2019
The Observer, Stephen Pritchard
Brahms: Violin Sonatas
Studio Master: CDA68200  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

‘The song-like nature of the first two Brahms sonatas is very much to the fore, Ibragimova playing with a miraculously sinuous vocal line, graceful, sonorous and at times heartbreakingly tender. Tiberghien is both poetic and magisterial, particularly in the first movement of the second sonata, Op 100, which requires a huge range of colour and dynamic contrast, all beautifully realised here’ (The Observer)
7 September 2019
BBC Record Review, Andrew McGregor
Brahms: The Complete Songs, Vol. 8 - Harriet Burns
Studio Master: CDJ33128  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

‘The last two volumes were fine recitals from Benjamin Appl and Ian Bostridge, so the bar’s been set seriously high for the solo debut of soprano Harriet Burns, and she delivers (with the help of Johnson’s stewardship, of course). It’s a really well-planned recital … Harriet Burns makes a fine solo debut here; tenor Robin Tritschler’s contributions to the German folksongs are enjoyable as well’ (BBC Record Review)
6 September 2019
Aachener Nachrichten, Germany, Armin Kaumanns
Brahms: Violin Sonatas
Studio Master: CDA68200  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

„Es ist ein Fest, ein Rausch voll musikalischer Einfälle, delikat und hoch emotional … der Hörer hat unentwegt das Gefühl, die beiden Musiker erzählten Geschichten, Geschichten vom Verschmelzen und Sich-Trennen, von Glückseligkeit und Leidenschaft, von Schmerz, vielleicht von Tod. Alina Ibragimova entdeckt die Brahms’sche Poesie neu, ihr gelingt ein Blick ins Herz des Titanen“ (Aachener Nachrichten, Germany)» More
1 September 2019

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp 109, 110 & 111
Studio Master: CDA68219  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

‘Osborne’s conception of Beethoven’s final sonatas is holistic and completely convincing, and each one builds to a concentrated, thoughtful final slow movement that makes a fitting climax for each. I found the halo of concentration around the finale of No 32 a thing of particular wonder, but that’s to choose one jewel as a purely personal preference from a collection of gems. A lovely set in superb high-resolution sound’ (MusicWeb International)
1 September 2019
Rondo, Germany, Guido Fischer
Brahms: Violin Sonatas
Studio Master: CDA68200  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

„Auch hier feiern Ibragimova und Tiberghien das Kantable mit einer Intensität, Klangsinnlichkeit und zugleich mit einer schwerelos anmutenden Tonschönheit, die einem mitten in Herz fährt“ (Rondo, Germany)» More

More