‘Stephen Hough turns his attention to the three most compelling of Hummel’s five mature solo piano sonatas. The F sharp minor, Op 81, and D major, Op 106, from 1819 and 1824, are large-scale works, revelling in an early-Romantic virtuosity that was to attract both Chopin and Liszt. The four-movement Op 106 is a huge creation of dramatic rhetorical gestures, while the much earlier F minor sonata, Op 20 (1807), gives a taste of the youthful Hummel’s exuberantly Haydnesque style. Hough proves a dazzling advocate for all three works’ (The Sunday Times)

‘Capricorn's combination of individual virtuosity with a persuasive sense of teamwork means both of Hummel's delightful chamber works really come to life … Hummel at his most dazzling, delighting us with his unpredictable instrumentation. The players vividly communicate their enjoyment of the music with scintillating performances’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘The advocacy of the Delmé Quartet is persuasive and artistically unwavering. Their well-defined and technically accomplished readings are filled with vitality and spirit and marked by a thoughtful but not calculated and otherwise fussy approach that might hamper the spirit of the music’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘His trade-mark invention never flags, allied with grace and sophistication and a gift for melody second to very few. A fitting tribute to one of the least pretentious of composers’ (The Observer)

‘Compelling listening’ (Gramophone)

‘The performances by the fine mixed choir of choral scholars are superb’ (American Record Guide)

‘Uniformly charismatic performances. Fine engineering and notes too. Highly recommended’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘Sensitive readings of the utmost sensitivity and control’ (Gramophone)

‘In hymns, prayers, invocations and anthems. These composers draw on ancient chant to produce music which is always passionate … beautifully captured by the Holst Singers’ (Choir & Organ)

‘Performing with insight and commendable Russian sonority, the Holst Singers have cast their net wide in this survey of Orthodox Church music. The main focus is the pre-Revolution period of the early 20th century, with Pavel Chesnokov generously represented. But he and other composers found ways of reconciling inventiveness with the Church’s constraints, and such rarities as César Cui’s Magnificat, together with works by Shvedov, Kastalsky and more familiar Rachmaninov, make for a fascinating spectrum’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘The programme is scrupulously prepared, with excellent pronunciation, idiomatic timbres and a fine fusion of ardent communication and sensitive shaping. The disc was recorded in the superb acoustic of All Hallows, Gospel Oak, London, and Ivan Moody's informative essay is an indispensable bonus’ (Gramophone)

‘The remarkable performances of the Holst Singers, securely balanced on the tightrope between pianissimo sensitivity and full-throated veneration … the intonation is faultless across all the registers here, diction is clear and the choral sound is beautifully homogenized—there doesn't seem to be a weak voice anywhere. Nor is there a weak piece: all 22 items blaze with devout passion. With the volume turned up, one after another brought up the hair on the back of my neck … this is a glorious CD and it should bring you much pleasure’ (International Record Review)