‘The Orlando Consort … celebrate the fourteenth-century French composer-poet Guillaume de Machaut with a selection of his numerous motets and songs … on the theme of courtly love and its diversions … Machaut, in the skilled hands of these musicians, turns … brutalities into music of ethereal purity, pulsating with poised, almost jaunty rhythms. Music for quiet concentration’ (The Guardian)» More

‘Pip Eastop plays on a modern copy of an 1830 natural horn with an astonishing variety of noises at his command’ (Financial Times)

‘A marvellous venture of technical virtuosity from Pip Eastop, the newest shining star in brass, and a brave choice considering the wide array of recordings on offer’ (The Epoch Times)» More

‘There’s something a little special about this … exciting performances, the hand-stopping negotiated with fabulous facility’ (BBC CD Review)» More

‘Bach’s music may be virtually indestructible, but it is also susceptible to fine re-creative instincts—like those of Alina Ibragimova’ (Classical Ear)» More

‘Eastop has the gift of numerous timbres and effects, a wide range of dynamics, shares the fun of wacky cadenzas, is unfazed by high notes, can be audacious and—put simply—is a master of the natural horn, everything heard having to be made without the aid of added-later valves and sophisticated plumbing. This is flawless, poised and always musical playing’ (Classical Source)» More

‘Highly recommended’ (AllMusic, USA)» More

‘Pip Eastop plays a natural horn akin to the type available to the virtuoso for whom Mozart wrote the four concertos, Joseph Leutgeb. Mozart clearly did not feel in any way hidebound by the horn’s limited range of easily attainable notes … with lucid input from The Hanover Band and from the Eroica Quartet in the Quintet, these performances have a musical integrity over and above historical interest’ (Gramophone)

‘I liked her performance of the Pastoral, which opens proceedings, and Op 2/3 which concludes matters, but I thought her Pathétique a little underwhelming … Classic FM magazine made this a Disc of the Month’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘This is a remarkable disc, firstly because of the rarity of the repertoire it contains, and secondly because of the extraordinary vigour of much of the singing. When I first listened to Nato canunt omnia, I was quite taken aback both by the speed and by the brashness of the sound—the ‘milked’ false relation at the final cadence is to die for—but further acquaintance not only makes the vigour seem normal but essential. Stephen Rice gives quite brilliant analyses of the pieces recorded in his very substantial booklet notes; of Nato canunt omnia he says, ‘The piece as a whole stands as a virtuosic demonstration of Brumel’s compositional technique, which juxtaposes radically different styles and textures to create a glittering musical collage.' … the Missa de beata virgine offers, on account of its length, many sonic possibilities, and the Brabants are able to use both their sharp- edged upper voices and their sense of line to tremendous effect’ (International Record Review)» More

‘Debussy's absence from Marc-André Hamelin's recorded repertoire has always struck me as a shame, the more so when one considers that Hamelin's pianistic style comprises exactly the right combination of colour, imagination and precision of touch. The present disc, which consists of captivating interpretations of the two collections of Images alongside the second book of Préludes … is thus particularly welcome’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More

‘The final volume of a set of Baroque Music from Latin America, performed by Ex Cathedra Consort and Baroque Ensemble/Jeffrey Skidmore. The music is by Juan de Araujo (1648-1712), interspersed with sections of the anonymous Hanacpachap cussicuinin … John Quinn made the album a Recording of the Month and I made the whole series part of my Hyperion Top 30’ (MusicWeb International)» More