‘It’s good when even a talent as extraordinary as Hamelin’s feels genuine modesty as he tackles the Hammerklavier, one of the pinnacles of the piano repertory … [it] does not displace a good many of the great versions produced by some of the outstanding pianists of the last century, but I will nevertheless return to it on a regular basis … a fascinating album’ (The Mail on Sunday)

‘On this outstanding album, pianist Mishka Rushdie Momen presents a wide-ranging program of pieces … those who just want to immerse themselves in the sound of Renaissance music rendered in the pearl-like tones of a modern piano are encouraged to simply throw themselves in. Momen is a marvelous interpreter, and she presents this music to us in a lovely, golden light’ (CD Hotlist, USA)

‘Only in her late 20s, Russian-born Aigul Akhmetshina has caused a considerable stir of late after what can only be described as a meteoric rise … now, following a much-publicised signing to Decca, we have her debut album, and a fine achievement it is … she has a superb voice, no question, warm and even in tone, admirably agile, with a full, effortless top, and a tangy lower register. Texts, meanwhile, are insightfully projected without nudging or fracturing lines, which makes for a notably impressive performance of Carmen’s Card Scene, in which subtle dynamic shading gradually exposes dark forebodings as the long chromatic phrases unwind with an almost unnerving inexorability … it all adds up to a fine recital, and a most auspicious debut’ (Gramophone)

‘Here’s an abundant harvest, one so rich in its offerings that it’s hard to know where to start. One could, perhaps, begin with Hamelin’s brilliant intricacy—what might be seen as his attempt to out-Godowsky Godowsky … and yet: despite the virtuoso dazzle, despite the historical sweep, and especially despite his sense of humor, Hamelin is far from a barn-burner, far from an intellectual show-off, and far from a mere comedian. This is music of tremendous structural skill, showing, in particular, an ability to revitalize traditional forms … it’s also music shot through with striking emotional depth … the playing, as expected, is spectacular … all in all, a clear candidate for this year’s Want List’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘This is a gorgeous recording of music from the Spanish Siglo de Oro, and it is beautifully performed by this young Spanish choral ensemble’ (American Record Guide)

„Schon die ersten Töne des Kyrie der Missa „A la dolc' ombra“ lassen aufhorchen: Vom Bass wohlgrundiert, begeistert ein aufgefächerter Klang, der die Verläufe jeder Stimme zwar offen legt, letztlich aber doch von einem wunderbar vollen Ensembleklang geprägt ist. Dass hierzu fünf Männer stimmen ausreichen, erstaunt nach wie vor … Die gute Durchhörbarkeit erlaubt auch bei den insgesamt eher ruhig dahinfließenden Sätzen erstaunliche Spannungsbögen, die jegliche Eintönigkeit verhindert. Und wann hört man schon einmal auch im Timbre so wundervoll aufeinander abgestimmte Stimmen?“ (Fono Forum, Germany)» More

‘Throughout, The Gesualdo Six offer up introspective and expressive readings—literally deep in the case of Brumel’s prayerful Sub tuum praesidium scored for sonorous low voices, and the same composer’s Du tout plongiet / Fors seulement whose bass line fathoms the abyss … it is impossible to find flaw with the ensemble’s matchless singing’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘All in all this is a treasure trove of works, some little known and rarely performed, in a wide variety of styles and vocal scorings spanning the first half of the 16th century. Beautifully sung and meticulously researched, it will generously repay repeated hearings’ (Gramophone)

‘Rushdie Momen’s choice of pieces is attractively varied. Her playing is gently inflected and she never tries to emulate the vastly different techniques of earlier instruments … what emerges from Momen’s recital is her affection for her chosen programme. The pieces by Byrd and Gibbons are especially rewarding’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘[Mishka Rushdie Momen] seeks an underlying spirituality to the music. The playing is smoother, the touch lighter, the aim more to comfort the mind than arrest it … less dramatic but more even-tempered and sometimes even delightfully sentimental, Momen’s approach is different but no less satisfying. I admired [Kit] Armstrong’s freedom and flirtation with anachronism, but I find this album exerts a stronger emotional appeal. It makes a fine complement to the earlier one, even with a number of works overlapping. If this is to be core repertoire for contemporary pianists, then bring on the pleasure of comparing and contrasting multiple artists grappling with the same material’ (Gramophone)

‘Piers Lane is unquestionably one of the best and most versatile pianists in the world … there is probably not a better pianist these days than Lane for this kind of program. He keeps the themes ever present while enjoying all the wonderful things the composers do with them … as with all Hyperion releases, the recorded piano sound is superb and the booklet essay is very well written and quite informative. This is a highly recommended disc that will stay on my active listening stack for quite some time’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘The finale, which returns to the major-to-minor-and-back-again motif of the first, is a joyous romp, however arduous the paces first violinist Edward Dusinberre is put through. Richard O’Neill, the new violist, is outstanding here, too, especially in the closing peroration. The quartet takes the unusual step, incidentally, of not omitting the exposition repeat in the first movement … Schubert’s lengths, in this case, really are heavenly’ (Fanfare, USA)