‘Despite the phenomenally difficult demands that Hamelin creates for himself, I never get the feeling that any of it is superficial virtuosity for its own sake. It's abundantly evident that there is an intelligent mind at work with a vast knowledge of the repertoire, alongside a wicked sense of humour’ (Presto Classical)

‘More and more, I consider Marc-André Hamelin to be the Franz Liszt of the 21st century. A combination of a pianist endowed with superhuman virtuosity and a brilliantly innovative composer all rolled into one. Where does he find the time?’ (Classical Music Sentinel)» More

‘The Three Kings brought gifts, and the vocal ensemble arrive laden in turn with armfuls of curious and unexpected offerings, all performed with meticulous care and musicality. Musical gold is in particularly generous supply. It glows from Pierre de Manchicourt’s Illuminare, Jerusalem, text flickering in brilliant strands of imitative polyphony, intricately woven together here: vertical clarity never sacrificed to horizontal direction. It radiates from the swelling ebb and flow of Lassus’s Tribus miraculis and Josh Cooter’s solo Omnes de Saba (the quality of the plainchant singing throughout is exemplary), as well as from Park’s own O send out thy light, close-set chords engulfing the ear in thick warmth—a contrast to the more diffuse softness of Joanna Marsh’s In winter’s house … while some ensembles blend through mutual imitation and similarity, The Gesualdo Six manage to preserve the colours of the individual voices while finding common ground. It’s this breadth—of colour, tone, gesture—that gives these performances their appeal’ (Gramophone)

‘Many ensembles record discs of Christmas music but Owain Park and his colleagues have done something slightly different: they have put together a musical sequence which focuses on the season of the Epiphany … throughout the programme, the singing of The Gesualdo Six (augmented in five items by guest countertenor Will Prior) is immaculate. I enjoyed the purity and intelligence of their performances very much indeed. They have been recorded expertly by engineer David Hinitt and producer Adrian Peacock. The recording balances the group in an ideal fashion and places them beautifully in the acoustic of Trinity College Chapel, which is an ideal venue. Owain Park’s notes are succinct and informative. This is a notable musical celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany’ (MusicWeb International)

‘I would like to have known Francisco Guerrero. He wrote lovingly about his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1589. He was kidnapped by pirates, had to pay a large ransom, and later landed in a debtor’s prison. Even so, he seems to have been warm-hearted and caring. This especially emerges in the sheer humanity of his music, and in the deep emotions he can often communicate. The Brabant Ensemble communicates much of that wonderfully … all texts are provided, and Stephen Rice’s detailed notes are an absolute model of their kind, so do follow them through as you listen. The acoustic at All Saint’s East Finchley is highly suitable, and suits the music perfectly’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘Marc-André Hamelin’s imagination feeds engaging invention in nine compositions for piano—and he can play them, too … eminently recommendable and revealing’ (colinscolumn.com)» More

‘As evidenced by the late work of Britten and Shostakovich, it takes a huge amount of skill to write very simple, spare music. Anyone can spill notes garrulously onto the page but to fine them down to bare essentials is a life’s work. The music of Federico Mompou displays just such mastery over the simple … there are few better guides to lead the listener into those hidden depths than Stephen Hough … Mompou’s music is always going to be something you either like or you don’t. If you fall into the latter camp then even a performance as profound and beautiful as this is unlikely to persuade you otherwise. If, on the other hand, you don’t yet know this music, then start here. For lovers of Mompou, this is as deep a descent into the well of this music as you will come across’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘Osborne is in magnificent form, offering his characteristic clarity and intelligence, as well as an abundance of artistry. The 'Sarabande' from Pour le piano is beautifully shaped, while the 'Toccata' that follows demonstrates his control and sparkling technique’ (Limelight, Australia)» More

‘Debussy’s Études are not nearly as popular as his Préludes or Images. There is a belief that they are dry, academic, and devoid of independent artistic worth. This recording puts the misapprehension to rest … Steven Osborne brings technical agility and remarkable interpretative skills to these performances. They are replete with magic, great beauty and a sympathetic understanding. This is complimented by a vibrant recording’ (MusicWeb International)

‘One of my favourite new Christmas albums, from The Gesualdo Six directed by Owain Park. Wonderfully evocative singing describing Pärt’s almost instrumental sounds … if you want the finest possible celebration of hope and joy, renewal and rebirth, it’s hard to beat this. Cornelius’s The Three Kings at the start, music by Byrd, Howells and Lassus, traditional chant, newer music by Judith Bingham and Joanna Marsh, sung with enviable precision and radiance’ (BBC Record Review)

‘Steven Osborne gives vibrant, dynamic and searching readings of Debussy’s Études in technically immaculate performances that also yield maximum musical potential … beautifully recorded’ (colinscolumn.com)» More

‘Fauré’s 13 nocturnes and 13 barcarolles—two and a half hours in all—are not the kind of dizzyingly virtuosic works that are the fire-fingered Marc-André Hamelin’s stock in trade. But his clarity and sensitivity confirm that this is music of tender poignancy and subtle experimentation’ (The New York Times)