‘Hushed tones are among the qualities that make Kolesnikov’s recording so special—a kind of pianistic crooning effect achieved by placing the mics very close to the instrument. His range of colours and effects, as subtle as it is wide, brings him closer to the core of these pieces than any other available recording … [Hahn] could hope for no finer advocate than Kolesnikov and no subtler response to the cultural ambience of belle époque Paris’ (Gramophone)

‘The [G minor Sextet] is something considerably less light than its forces might lead one to imagine. The Piano Trio captures something of Beethoven’s C minor mood, as might be expected of a work in a key and form so closely associated with him. Again, though, you couldn’t imagine him writing it, so personal is Ries’s keyboard style. The Introduction and Russian Dance was clearly intended for the amateur market, with an approachable cello part, even if its keyboard virtuosity might have placed it beyond the means of many … it’s good to have the two sextets paired together, along with the weighty Piano Trio, all in performances of the exemplary standard customarily expected from The Nash Ensemble’ (Gramophone)

‘The more one listens, the more one notices the subtle touches: holding the first note of each verse of ‘Das Wandern’, as if breathing in the air before striding off down a favourite path; the dreaminess of ‘Pause’; the playfulness of ‘Mit dem grünen Lautenbande’; the gradual slowing at the end of ‘Der Müller und der Bach’ to accompany the gradual diminuendo. The sheer beauty of some of the slower numbers—‘Danksagung an den Bach’, for example, or ‘Der Neugierige’—is irresistible, but never seems to exist for its own sake. At the other end of the spectrum, meanwhile, there’s no lack of Schwung in the livelier songs, with a rollicking ‘Mein’, and both ‘Der Jäger’ and ‘Eifersucht und Stolz’ going at a good lick … an interpretative approach that is controlled and considered, with pianist and singer perfectly in accord, their artistry shining through in every bar. With a beautifully hushed ‘Des Baches Wiegenlied’, moreover, it proves as moving a recording of the cycle as any I’ve heard in a long time. All in all, another superb album from this artistic partnership, and beautifully recorded by Hyperion, too’ (Gramophone)

‘It is the quality of the music that has drawn conductor Stephen Rice back to this still little-known but highly important Renaissance figure … the sound that The Brabant Ensemble make … is fresh, open-throated, clear in diction and expressive all at once. This has been their style throughout the fourteen or so years they have been recording … Laudate Deum in sanctis eius is an unashamedly joyous work whose open harmonies suit the choir wonderfully. In final cadences of all these works, their perfect fifths are superbly tuned. The booklet contains all Latin texts and English translations’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘Quite a discovery’ (Yorkshire Times)

‘[Eubie’s Luckey Day is] extremely virtuosic, and, given Marc-André Hamelin’s pedigree, it’s not surprising that his performance is a tour de force … Hamelin knows when to swing the rhythms and when to keep them straight … a clear picture of an essential chapter in American music’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More

‘The long first movement [of the Grand Sextet] is concerto-like—magnificently handled by Simon Crawford-Phillips. The middle movement is a lovely set of variations … while the finale is a sparkling showpiece … for the Sextet in G minor, Benjamin Frith’s piano, Hugh Webb’s harp, Richard Hosford’s clarinet, Ursula Leveaux’s bassoon, Richard Watkins’ horn and Graham Mitchell’s double bass combine to create a rich and rewarding sound world’ (Limelight, Australia)» More

‘The Brabant Ensemble is, as always, outstanding, the precision of tone, vibrancy and ensemble flawless … an exceptional disc’ (Yorkshire Times)

‘Howard Shelley is a suave advocate for Schmitt, alive to the humour of some of the twists and turns in his music and prepared to exaggerate key moments as well. The Ulster Orchestra … seems to enjoy Schmitt's Rondeau brillant as much as Shelley does’ (BBC Record Review)

‘The C major Grand Sextet (with an equally grand Opus number, 100), for piano and strings, including a double bass, is a splendid work, energetic, lyrical, and with a hauntingly lovely slow movement. Simon Crawford-Phillips sparkles at the keyboard, and is sensitive when required, and Graham Mitchell’s bass is faithfully captured by Oscar Torres’s microphones … this Andrew Keener-produced release is also high-end in terms of annotation and presentation’ (colinscolumn.com)» More

‘Marc-André Hamelin—who has become one of the greats of our era—has recorded all 27 rags on two discs, catching their reverence and irreverence with equal brilliance … ‘Graceful Ghost Rag’ may be the most famous contemporary rag by anyone, much in demand as an encore, given a lovely reading by Hamelin, who is aware of its genteel wit … ‘Brass Knuckles’, written jointly with William Albright, has some crunching clusters thrown in with humorous effect; those must be the brass knuckles. It’s a real trip, and Hamelin handles the crunches with gusto’ (San Francisco Classical Voice, USA)

‘With great subtlety and finesse, Finley and Drake inexorably draw the listener into the miller’s successive states of mind: the carefree wanderer, the tentative suitor, the dreamy romantic, the ecstatic then jealous lover, and finally, the broken man. In tracing this emotional arc, Finley carefully husbands his vocal resources, deftly colouring the early songs, bringing a dreamlike quality to Morgengruss and particularly beauteous tone to Pause. Drake is also alert to every nuance of text, delivering expertly judged pacing … here is a distinguished Die schöne Müllerin whose insights are as abundant as its delights’ (Limelight, Australia)» More