‘Inevitably perhaps the towering contribution comes with Britten’s Suite No 3—a masterpiece of solo writing. Isserlis is truly under the skin of this work, providing acute attention to detail with regard to articulation. Beyond that, though, he fathoms the range of emotions so perfectly, with both elegant and raw playing to suit the invention … the recording has both bloom and clarity which is perfect for the solo genre’ (The Strad)» More

‘The decision to take the Ockeghem at an uncharacteristically high pitch is bold, and with a very bright countertenor on the top line the effect is luminous and transparent (dare I say magical?), very different to the chewy, ruminative approach that the piece’s text usually elicits. For this alone I’d recommend the disc unreservedly, but this starts as the ensemble means to go. Theirs is a very English sound, eschewing overtly dramatic interpretative touches, but the sensitivity to contrapuntal details is none the less striking … as a single-disc introduction to the motet of Josquin’s time, this is hard to beat’ (Gramophone)

‘Shelley proves, as ever, to be an evangelical, tireless, thoughtful and technically peerless guide. The London Mozart Players (a 19 strong string group in this case) provide warmly committed, effervescent accompaniment. The Hyperion sonics are characteristically vivid and authentic … all of the music on this generously filled disc is splendidly played and presented. Howard Shelley (who also contributed the idiomatic cadenzas to the three concertos which require them) could surely have done no more on Benda’s behalf. The London Mozart Players respond to his cajolings with style and precision’ (MusicWeb International)

‘Vocal balance, an essential feature, is Cinquecento’s forte, aided here by a wonderfully clear recording. It took place in a beautiful former Carthusian monastery on the outskirts of Vienna. The venue has an ideal acoustic, spacious and intimate, and it allows for clear diction. Erika Supria Honisch’s excellent booklet essay is accompanied by all the texts’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘An album of real spirit and vigor … it’s a mix of the thoughtful and the exciting, all bracingly recorded’ (The Arts Fuse, USA)» More

‘An album of real spirit and vigor … it’s a mix of the thoughtful and the exciting, all bracingly recorded’ (The Arts Fuse, USA)» More

‘One of last year's Top Ten was a magnificent account of chamber works by Elgar and Beach from the Takács Quartet, and they have followed this up with an equally mesmerising performance of string quartets by Felix Mendelssohn and his sister, Fanny … the balance between all four players is ideal, with motifs and themes thrown from one player to the next with ease, and there's a vibrancy to the recorded sound that is thrilling in the more dramatic moments whilst also allowing for more introspective intimacy in the quieter passages … for me this album is a definite winner’ (Presto Classical)» More

‘One of last year's Top Ten was a magnificent account of chamber works by Elgar and Beach from the Takács Quartet, and they have followed this up with an equally mesmerising performance of string quartets by Felix Mendelssohn and his sister, Fanny … the balance between all four players is ideal, with motifs and themes thrown from one player to the next with ease, and there's a vibrancy to the recorded sound that is thrilling in the more dramatic moments whilst also allowing for more introspective intimacy in the quieter passages … for me this album is a definite winner’ (Presto Classical)» More

‘Like a great singer, Hough 'breathes' Chopin’s Belliniesque melodies with the long phrasing beloved of Wagner, yet he avoids any hint of 'Bellini-of-the-Piano' cliché … his lightness of touch, perfectly controlled rubato, and 'endless cantilena' has an improvisatory quality … Hough at his most personal and best’ (The Times)» More

‘First up is Hensel’s String Quartet in E flat which displays the well-balanced artistry of the Takács Quartet … the subsequent Allegretto is performed with propulsive rhythmic energy before arriving at the calmer waters of a deeply expressive Romanze, which is rendered with the eloquent lyricism of a song without words. Last but not least, the rondo finale brings the work to a fiery close with the four musicians battening down the hatches with its driving perpetuum mobile figurations. Also included is Mendelssohn’s deeply heartfelt String Quartet in F minor, Op 80, which was penned in response to Hensel’s death from a stroke in 1847 that preceded his own by a mere few months. The Quartet brings to life its highly dissonant, emotionally charged textures with palpable conviction … the album rounds out with Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in A minor, Op 13, a much earlier piece dated 1827 that provides greater context and ballast for more turbulent works, including its expressive second Adagio movement delivered with molten phrasing and lyrical, songlike quality’ (Winnipeg Free Press, Canada)

‘First up is Hensel’s String Quartet in E flat which displays the well-balanced artistry of the Takács Quartet … the subsequent Allegretto is performed with propulsive rhythmic energy before arriving at the calmer waters of a deeply expressive Romanze, which is rendered with the eloquent lyricism of a song without words. Last but not least, the rondo finale brings the work to a fiery close with the four musicians battening down the hatches with its driving perpetuum mobile figurations. Also included is Mendelssohn’s deeply heartfelt String Quartet in F minor, Op 80, which was penned in response to Hensel’s death from a stroke in 1847 that preceded his own by a mere few months. The Quartet brings to life its highly dissonant, emotionally charged textures with palpable conviction’ (Winnipeg Free Press, Canada)

‘One of those artists who are barely capable of producing a dud note … Hough, to my mind, has succeed brilliantly in harnessing Schumann’s 'multitudes' (Limelight, Australia)» More