25 May 2019
BBC Record Review, Andrew McGregor
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No 2, Danse macabre & Urbs Roma‘There’s a new series of Saint-Saëns recordings from America that’s starting to get some positive critical attention, and for very good reasons … this is turning out to be an excellent reappraisal of symphonic Saint-Saëns … I hope there’ll be more’ (BBC Record Review)
25 May 2019
BBC Record Review, Andrew McGregor
Striggio & Tallis: Supersize Polyphony‘I enjoyed the way they’ve interspersed the Mass movements with plainchant by Hildegard of Bingen … allowing Tallis’s Spem in alium to bring it all to a radiant close’ (BBC Record Review)
18 May 2019
BBC Record Review, Andrew McGregor
An English Coronation 1902-1953‘The performances are excellent, the recording spectacularly good and I found the experience utterly convincing. It's a remarkable achievement’ (BBC Record Review)
18 May 2019
BBC Record Review, Andrew McGregor
Bach: The Cello Suites‘Gerhardt’s one of those players who finds what feels like a fine balance between the intimacy of Bach’s solo suites—the personal reflection—and the more extrovert act of performing and recording them for an audience. I like the lightness of his touch when it comes to the chords, the way he accompanies the main line without distorting it, yet also allowing himself plenty of freedom of expression and enjoyable plasticity of tempo’ (BBC Record Review)
18 May 2019
BBC Record Review, Andrew McGregor
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp 109, 110 & 111‘Osborne’s explosive edge-of-the-seat approach to the rhetorical outbursts of the second movement [of Op 110] is combined with wonderfully clear articulation, and then there’s the profundity of the Adagio leading to the powerfully melancholy final fugue. And before all of those things, the heart-stopping simplicity and tenderness of the sonata’s opening … this recording contains the full dynamic range of Osborne’s playing without compressing or distancing for safety. The volatility and dangerous edge to it comes through undiminished. This is Beethoven with no safety net, thrillingly alive … it's my Record of the Week’ (BBC Record Review)
18 May 2019
BBC Record Review, Anna Picard
Tippett: Symphonies Nos 3, 4 & B flat‘The quality of the playing and particularly the upper strings of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is superb; it's by far the best of—dare I say it?!—the BBC orchestras, and it's lovely to hear Martyn Brabbins at home with these idioms … anyone Tippett-curious needs this’ (BBC Record Review)