‘This is an alert, cohesive, significant addition to the discography, one presenting the opera in the continuous flow—no divisions between the three acts—that Wagner originally imagined … Finley, now 65 and having gained vocal powers in the bass range, visits the character’s emotional states more vividly, not unlike a lieder performance, and conveying an almost unbearably clear overview of his ocean imprisonment. At times his voice actually shivers in ways that aren’t an option for larger voices … [Davidsen's] signature sound towers above the rest of the cast … this recording will wear well over the long run’ (Gramophone)

‘Few people have done more than Laurence Perkins to promote the bassoon … do invest in this delightful little disc. Hours of fascinating listening await’ (The Mail on Sunday)» More

‘Powerful, fearless, mostly singing with vocal beauty, [Davidsen] is a force to reckon with … these may have been concert performances, but they lack nothing in drama thanks to Gardner’s grip on pace and tension. Add in a lusty contribution from the choir and very decent orchestral playing and there is no reason to hold back’ (Financial Times)

‘Their performance of Dvořák’s magical second piano quintet is magnificent. The verve and sheer beauty of the string playing is immediately apparent in the glorious cello solo at the opening, but such exquisite moments never get in the way of a strong feeling for overall structure which pays huge dividends in the outer movements’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More

‘Even for ardent Brianophiles, Hyperion’s latest release will set pulses racing for its first recording of Agamemnon, the fourth—and shortest—of Brian’s five operas … the ENO Orchestra provide a flawless account of the score, firmly controlled by Brabbins, who ensures that the weighty scoring does not overwhelm the singers. John Findon in the title-role is the pick of the soloists, though Eleanor Dennis makes a formidable Clytemnestra, coping admirably with some cruelly high, exposed, vocal writing … one of Brian’s most luminous scores [Symphony No 6], this is its third recording and arguably the best … those who, like me, grew up with Myer Fredman’s pioneering original on Lyrita now have a rival version of equal finesse to compare with’ (Gramophone)

‘Spence, in wonderful voice here, sings with bronzed tone, a keen sense of line and a reined-in intensity that allows words and emotional shifts to register fully. There’s a telling surge of feeling at ‘Ô bien-aimée’, in ‘La lune blanche’, and a real sense of rapture in the ecstatic arching phrase in which ‘vous’ become ‘tu’ at the close of ‘J’ai presque peur, en vérité’. The Piatti Quartet and double-bass player Tim Gibbs sound exquisite in ‘Une sainte en son auréole’ at the start, where the piano is silent before excitedly ushering in the new dawn of the second song, ‘Puisque l’aube grandit’. Drake is excellent, as one might expect, anchoring a fine ensemble performance in which all the players seem to function as one … it's a most distinguished recital, and warmly recommended’ (Gramophone)

‘This is obviously a red-letter day. The Orlando Consort’s complete songs of Machaut is concluded (lacking only a few monophonic lais): all 11 albums with the same four singers, all beautifully controlled, all perfectly balanced and paced, and—perhaps most important of all—entirely without eccentricities … could anyone but Hyperion have backed such a risky project? Probably not, but we must salute the company’s courage and rejoice that—among all the recent shocks and scares in the record industry—it saw the project through to the end’ (Gramophone)

‘The violinist’s unjaded, youthful intensity blends attractively with the experience and authority Vasily Petrenko brings to the piece [the concerto] … without resorting to flashy novelty or idiosyncrasy, Li takes an essentially straightforward approach but makes a mark through his tonal confidence, clarity of gesture and, most tellingly, unwavering focus on communication. The recording neatly balances his cantabile warmth with the delectable Liverpudlian winds … on the evidence of his playing here, Li already possesses the qualities needed to ripen into an artist of substance’ (Gramophone)

‘It’s a great team for this opera and the pace from Ed Gardner, who’s just taken up his post at the Norwegian National Opera as music director there, really drives this opera along. There’s no sense of it wallowing in its own juices, which can occasionally happen with Dutchman. Great cast—Gerald Finley, incredibly world-weary when we first hear him, very powerful. There’s a sort of Lise Davidsen effect here—a voice that big, that powerful, forces everyone else to raise their game …wonderful cast, chorus on top form, all the power and pace you could want’ (BBC Record Review)

‘For sixty years Amelia Freedman has been bringing together the finest musicians she can find in London to play chamber music as The Nash Ensemble and this superb album shows she has not lost her touch … one could not ask for a more integrated and accurate reading [of the String Quartet] than this—just listen to the pizzicato in the second movement or the veiled mistiness of the third. Can’t argue with this disc!’ (Eye On London)

‘These two have been playing as a duo for twenty years now and, fine soloists in their own right, their partnership is maturing into one of the great ones of our time … the more I listen to this, the more I appreciate the intelligence of the playing and the excellence of the recorded balance’ (Eye On London)

‘It’s very special, so well matched … here we have a perfect balance … it was recorded in the Nimbus Concert Hall, which is a wonderful, luxury venue especially for this kind of music. So you get the impression they’re performing; this is a real performance, it’s broad and it’s beautifully played … having the Takács Quartet and Marc-André Hamelin place it [the Price Quintet] next to Dvořák’s Quintet is a wonderful statement of confidence’ (BBC Record Review)