‘Picture yourself somewhere impossibly exotic—a cocktail sweating gently in your hand, the bar hushed, and in the corner a pianist who has, without anyone quite noticing, stopped time. That is the spell Stephen Hough casts across this disc, and from the very first bars you understand that you are not so much listening as being taken somewhere’ (North East Post)» More

‘A powerful reminder of a time when the recording industry brimmed with vision and confidence’ (International Piano)

‘If you love a Cambridge river-concert but don’t fancy the tourists or the faff, then this is the next best thing’ (Gramophone)

‘Enjoyable listening as the soprano Eleonora Burratto and the tenor Freddie de Tommaso whisk us through this ebullient and melodious verismo melodrama about star-crossed lovers’ (The Times)

‘Kenneth Woods and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra triumphantly show us what we've been missing: music always stimulating in its colours, textures and flow … there's so much good music here to get to know and enjoy. Long live John McCabe!’ (The Times)

‘Performances are exquisite and make a convincing case for Akhmetshina and Pappano’s artistic versatility’ (The Classic Review)

‘Gustavo Dudamel and the Philharmonia Orchestra guarantee high-quality performances, so imagine the lights in the cinema going down and let the soudtrack roll’ (Financial Times)

‘All three works are driven with fiery conviction by American conductor Kenneth Woods who has spent much of the last decade reviving and recording Britain's neglected symphonic heritage. Some day we'll thank him. Meanwhile, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra struts like a peacock – and why wouldn't they, when Woods and McCabe make them sound this good?’ (The Spectator)

‘From the tinkling registral changes in the Allegro ma non tanto of the Concerto in A major, BWV1055, to his tantalisingly paced cadenza in the opening movement of the Concerto in D minor, BWV1052—and the ensuing fabulousness of his trill—Esfahani exhibits a mastery of large-scale swing and fastidiously shaped, expressive detail. There’s something utterly enjoyable about the squeeze achieved by Esfahani’s pacing and legato of the central Siciliano of the Concerto in E major, BWV1053. Then there’s the frenetic joy of the closing movement of the Concerto in D major, BWV1054; Esfahani transforms into a slot machine spilling over in jackpot celebration. Yet Esfahani is at his swirling, angsty best in the concerto’s opening movement: the current of energy (beginning in the section at 2'08") remains undeterred all the way to the recapitulation and its crashing octaves’ (Gramophone)

‘Musical magic … but the biggest surprise is kept for the final piece. The hilarious Five More Minutes (Sardine Armpit) sees percussionist Joby Burgess, Arcappellago and The Sardine Ensemble deliver a crazy Balkan-dance-like number possessing all the Dionysian grit and flair of Rosalía and Björk’s performance of ‘Berghain’ at this year’s BRIT Awards’ (Gramophone)

‘As was the case with Gerhardt’s performances of the Shostakovich concertos, his well-nigh flawless solo playing is closely observed … the generous old-school annotations are a definite plus’ (Gramophone)

‘Fox’s singing is consistently lovely, with the familiar silvery gleam in her upper registers much in evidence … Forés Veses and the Castile and León orchestra are excellent here, meanwhile, with some immaculately shaped playing, the strings lean yet beautiful, the woodwind gracious and elegant … it’s a fine album, thoughtful and enjoyable in equal measure’ (Gramophone)