1 January 1900

Balakirev: Piano Sonata & other works
Studio Master: CDA67806  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

‘The three releases by the young British pianist Danny Driver have met with considerable acclaim. It's wonderful to see a talent such as this continuing to address the more obsure pianistic byways, and here Driver has assembled a fabulous array of works from Balakirev's very varied keyboard output … as ever, Hyperion provides recording quality and programme notes which are first class in every way’ (International Record Review)
1 January 1900
The Observer
Balakirev: Piano Sonata & other works
Studio Master: CDA67806  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

‘Danny Driver continues his Hyperion exploration of the piano repertoire with delightful interpretations of Mily Balakirev. In particular, the piano sonata in B flat minor is a terrific, big-hearted piece, unlike anything else from its period, and its neglect in the concert hall is surely due a reappraisal … impressive playing throughout ensures that your finger won't stray far from the replay button’ (The Observer)
1 January 1900

Baltic Exchange
CDA67747  Download only 

‘Stephen Layton conducts vital and immaculate performances. These works must be quite taxing and they’re not always as simple or as straightforward as they may sound. The singing is a pure joy from first to last. The recording lends an appropriately reverberant aura to the music. This splendid release perfectly complements Hyperion’s disc devoted to Dubra’s choral music, enthusiastically reviewed here a few months ago (Hail, Queen of Heaven). This disc will appeal strongly to all lovers of imaginative choral music, but others—I am sure—will find much to relish’ (MusicWeb International)
1 January 1900
The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA
Baltic Exchange
CDA67747  Download only 

‘Soaring melodies, folklike tunes, drones with religious gravity, and stylized speech are all encompassed by these works, the biggest among them being Uģis Prauliņš' Missa Rigensis—one of the most original and personal settings of the Mass text imaginable. Best of all, this is a disc to live with: There's much to enjoy on first hearing, but all the pieces have dramatic new revelations on subsequent encounters’ (The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA)
1 January 1900

Baltic Exchange
CDA67747  Download only 

‘The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge enjoys the urgent heartbeat of this music … Missa Rigensis contains many wonders, including a buoyant Gloria which vanishes magically into the long acoustic perspectives of the Lady Chapel, Ely Cathedral, where this disc was most sensitively produced and engineered  … Stephen Layton conducts this music with all the rigour, colour and craft characteristic of his work’ (BBC Music Magazine)
1 January 1900

Baltic Exchange
CDA67747  Download only 

‘A fascinating collection of choral works … centring on a Mass setting by Latvian Uģis Prauliņš … probably the single most impressive moment in the work is the end of the Credo, whose increasing waves of spoken affirmation of faith are haloed by bell-like choral roulades … Einfelde's music is altogether more introverted, darker than that of Prauliņš but beautifully crafted and jewel-like … [Angelis suis Dominis and Pater noster by Miškinis] are works of absolutely luminous beauty’ (Gramophone)
1 January 1900
Amazon.co.uk
Bantock: Hebridean & Celtic Symphonies
CDA66450 

‘Superb’ (Amazon.co.uk)
1 January 1900

Bantock: Hebridean & Celtic Symphonies
CDA66450 

‘A towering classic, as important as a landmark in the rediscovery of British music as it is a monument to the technique of orchestral recording. Music, performance, recorded sound and notes are all superb’ (International Record Review)
1 January 1900
Répertoire, France
Bantock: Hebridean & Celtic Symphonies
CDA66450 

«Ce disque superbe ravira les mélomanes romantiques curieux» (Répertoire, France)
1 January 1900

Bantock: Hebridean & Celtic Symphonies
CDA66450 

‘Magnificently recorded and performed. When audiences are crying out for 'melodious music' how can such music as this have been ignored for so long?’ (Gramophone)
1 January 1900
CDReview
Bantock: Hebridean & Celtic Symphonies
CDA66450 

‘The best Bantock record I have ever heard’ (CDReview)
1 January 1900
Fanfare, USA
Bantock: Hebridean & Celtic Symphonies
CDA66450 

‘The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performs magnificently from beginning to end, coupling elegance, eloquence, passion, and poser with Hyperion's fastidious sound in a way that compels admiration from the listener for conductor, ensemble and composer alike. Handley's is the definitive version of the Hebridean Symphony, outstripping that available on Naxos in every regard, and with the other works on this disc to further commend it, this release sails effortlessly into port as the newest inductee into Fanfare's Classical Hall of Fame’ (Fanfare, USA)
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