‘In the booklet, Charles Cole writes: 'The Schola is at its heart and purpose a liturgical choir, and we present this recording as an insight into the liturgical life of the London Oratory, where this music can be heard in its proper context.' This is one of the recording’s strengths. For the singers, this repertoire is their daily bread. This means that they are completely familiar not only with the style, but also with the content and liturgical function of what they sing. After all, this music is not intended for the concert hall, but for the liturgy. From that perspective, these performances are highly ‘authentic’ … this excellent choir demonstrates the positive effects of this. It is somewhat less well-known than the choirs of King’s and St John’s Colleges or the Westminster choirs, but it is in no way inferior. This is the fourth recording of this choir on Hyperion, and each of these recordings demonstrates its quality. They sing with enthusiasm and commitment, and the character of each piece comes off perfectly’ (MusicWeb International)

‘The Gesualdo Six, British male singers of ineffable vocal beauty, make such beguiling sounds on their own that any instrumentalist risks becoming an unwanted interloper—even, as in this case, the spirited trumpeter Matilda Lloyd. She’s featured in just over half the tracks of this mostly contemporary programme, and in two of them—Judith Bingham’s Enter Ghost and James MacMillan’s In splendoribus sanctorum—the trumpet flourishes are genuinely thrilling … the good things easily dominate in an anthology committed to exploring ‘different shades of light’, from summer sunshine to the 'radiant dawn' of Christ’s birth, celebrated in another vocal wonder by MacMillan. Given the jumping between centuries, the mix of music old and new works very well, eased on its way by the unchanging artistry of the Six themselves: two countertenors, two tenors, one baritone and one bass, who sing with such commitment, polish and verve’ (The Times)

‘This is a rendition of the Dvořák that is supremely thought through and prepared: there are layers of activity for the ear to focus upon that one doesn’t always encounter in this piece. Add to the mix the exceptional musicianship on offer in both works and you’ve got an album that, on so many levels, is simply a joy’ (The Arts Fuse, USA)

‘No matter where the composer’s emotions lead him, Osborne stands ready and waiting, striding along one moment, stroking the keys the next, and in the rondo finale riding those waves of calm euphoria that were Schubert’s special preserve. This is a deeply rewarding performance … refreshment, illumination, sorrow and joy: Schubert’s music and Osborne’s fingers easily embrace them all’ (The Times)

‘Not only does Osborne find [for the Andantino of D959] what feels like a perfect timeless tempo, but when the movement explodes into uncontrolled fury in the middle the sense of visceral shock is almost overwhelming. This is special … Osborne captures not just the power of that pivotal middle movement but the trajectory of the whole Sonata, and the set of Schubert miniatures—six of his Moments musicaux—that comes after the Sonata are perfectly gauged. This is a performance of D959 that was still resonating in my mind long after I’d finished listening: it’s that good. Superb Schubert from Steven Osborne, a new release from Hyperion—it’s my Record of the Week’ (BBC Record Review)

‘Gidon Kremer has made a virtue of bringing lesser-known composers to the international stage, the Czech Victor Kalabis (1923 - 2006) being an excellent case in point … Kalabis’s indubitable compositional skill and fine command of structure demonstrate his worth, qualities that are highlighted in these perceptive performances’ (The Strad)» More

‘Lim is never daunted by the accumulated weight of performing tradition; rather, he’s in command of a distinctive vision that has at its disposal a boundless palette of colours that can pivot in an instant from glittering iridescence to impossibly deep soulfulness … a performance for high days and holidays perhaps, but an indisputable ‘musthear’ nonetheless’ (BBC Music Magazine)

„Dieser Chor mag etwas weniger bekannt sein, vor allem ausserhalb des Vereinigten Königreichs, als die Chöre aus Cambridge und Westminster, aber er ist qualitativ diesen keineswegs unterlegen … Palestrina wird hier in seinen historischen Kontext gestellt, indem es auch Motetten von Kollegen, Schülern und Enkelschülern gibt. Darunter sind mehrere, die heutzutage kaum bekannt sind. Das macht diese Produktion umso wertvoller … sie ist ein wichtiger und erfreulicher Beitrag zum Palestrina-Gedenkjahr“ (Critica Musica, Germany)» More

‘Osborne’s performance conveys an impressive sense of both the expansive scale of the four-movement work and its lyrical ebullience. He gives the opening gesture (which will return in the final moments to devastating effect) all the grandeur it needs, perfectly balanced against the delicacy of the figuration that follows, and as the performance unfolds, every detail is just as perfectly calibrated … his performance is one to set alongside the finest on record’ (The Guardian)

‘All in all, then, this is a brilliantly programmed disc. Though its lineup may look formidable, it proves anything but forbidding thanks to the artistry of all parties involved’ (The Arts Fuse, USA)

‘The Takács Quartet and Marc-André Hamelin perform [the Price] with their customary command, responding if anything yet more keenly to its shifting moods than the Kaleidoscope Collective in its fine premiere recording. The same goes for the Dvořák, in which Hamelin and the Takács highlight the Brahmsian energy that powers the music while not forgetting the work’s essential lyricism, most notably in the miraculous dumka second movement. Transparent sound (in Monmouth’s Wyastone Concert Hall) nevertheless still allows the elemental earthiness of both works to make its mark’ (The Strad)

‘Dvořák’s Op 81 Piano Quintet still attracts high-level performers … [Hamelin's] delicate pianos and tasteful accompaniments make the estimable Rubinstein (RCA, with the Guarneri) seem generic by comparison, and his quick scales and runs in the Price are scintillating. The Takács players, as always, have the style down, covering a full range of moods … Hyperion’s unobtrusive ambience is predictably excellent’ (Stereophile)