‘The stupendous recital on this CD unfolds with a glorious setting of Ave Maria, intensely prayerful and deeply felt—a wonderful by-product of its composer's participation as a course tutor in Aosta in northern Italy. Sonorities are rich and textures focus on middle and lower vocal registers. More athletic choralism emerges from the Stuttgart Psalms, written in 2009 to commemorate the birth of Mendelssohn 200 hundred years before. Mäntyjärvi creates compelling choral textures, and each and every syllable rings crystal-clear to even the most reluctant listener—who would have to be hard-hearted not to be deeply moved by these psalm-based motets with their stunningly delivered solo segments and vocal ‘standout’ features impressively delivered from within the choir … a Rolls-Royce of a recording from Stephen Layton and his singers. It is a ‘must-have' for all serious music lovers’ (Cathedral Music)» More

‘Howard Shelley and Felix Mendelssohn are a fine musical match, as we've found out … in Shelley's complete survey of the sometimes mysteriously neglected solo piano music. Volume five just arrived: some gossamer textures, delicate finger work and, at the end of the album, some favourite Songs without Words’ (BBC Record Review)

‘Tomer Lev has alighted on a two-piano Larghetto and the exposition of an Allegro, known in a completion by Mozart’s friend and musical executor Maximilian Stadler but here augmented into a work for pianos and orchestra … such musical archaeology is nevertheless valuable in turning up such rough diamonds and presenting them in a persuasive fashion. Mozart barely wrote a bad note in his life, so there is plenty of treasure to be mined from works at such an early stage of contemplation that they don’t even make it into the Köchel catalogue … the Russian-Israeli MultiPianists barely put a foot wrong’ (Gramophone)

‘This latest release from The Binchois Consort represents early ‘musicking’ at its finest. The programme is built around music from the Carver Choirbook, thought to be associated with the seat of the Royal Chapel in Stirling and an important source of pre-Reformation music in Scotland. There is, however, another layer: this is a historically informed performance within a historic performance space—Linlithgow Palace—itself recreated in virtual reality. Musicology and music production triangulate James IV’s visits to Linlithgow Palace with the veneration of St Katherine and the Carver Choirbook in this very clever project … the sound is kept bright and perky by the silvery historic pronunciation. There is some really super singing here … the real showstopper on this programme is an anonymous Magnificat, whose verses alternate between joyfully rhythmic polyphony and a rich four-voice chant in the ‘fourth kind of faburdoun’. The immersive experience of this track in particular will stay with me for a long time’ (Gramophone)

‘Alina Ibragimova showcasing her stellar technique, her mastery of all the skills, but, better than that, her ability to let the music sing so clearly even as the fireworks explode around it. Ibragimova doesn't treat Paganini's Caprices purely as heroic showstoppers, and, as the rosin's flying, she finds time to highlight harmonic shifts and spin phrases with delicacy and lightness, and wit as well. Special playing, and the recording frames it so well—all the detail, plenty of air and attractive resonance’ (BBC Record Review)» More

‘This recording includes several of the most familiar, and finest, motets of the Spanish Renaissance sung, as the director is justifiably keen to point out in his notes, by a choir which has this music in its bones. This repertory is sung extensively by the choir, and its stylistic familiarity is evident right from the start … sitting listening to this sublime music in lockdown, one can almost believe that all is well in the world. Thank you to the singers, conductor, engineers and composers for providing some light in a dark world’ (Cathedral Music)» More

‘Alina Ibragimova has been a frequent recipient of well-earned praise from the editorial team here at Presto (and indeed elsewhere) for repertoire ranging from Mozart sonatas to Shostakovich concertos, but I think I’m justified in proposing that this is her most impressive achievement to date. To tackle some of the hardest pieces ever written for the instrument and not merely surmount their technical challenges but breathe vivid life into the music is a feat to which few living violinists would be equal’ (Presto Classical)» More

‘Ibragimova arrives at Paganini’s Caprices via Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas and Ysaÿe’s Sonatas and finds them flamboyant, challenging, innovative, artistic and with an abstract majesty that eludes easy classification … until you’ve heard Ibragimova’s compelling, insightful accounts of these endlessly fascinating pieces by an endlessly fascinating composer, you don’t know what you’re missing out on’ (Limelight, Australia)» More

‘As with all of the performances here there is a palpable sense of enjoyment from all of the players. The English Chamber Orchestra is well seasoned in this repertoire, and accompanies with positive character and sublime phrasing, and the recorded balance is not too heavily in favour of the pianos above the orchestra … this release from Hyperion can stand comparison with any alternative, and is therefore a highly desirable prospect indeed’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘The sturdiest technique, a will of iron, the most flexible wrists, a big leap of courage: such are some of the requirements, easily fulfilled on this exciting album by the adventurous violinist Alina Ibragimova … her muscular, thoughtful approach keeps you listening, mostly with awe and wonder. Paganini intended his pieces as exercises in bowing techniques, difficult fingerings and such. Ibragimova reminds us that they are also vehicles for powerful emotions, daringly expressed and in spirit eternally modern’ (The Times)

‘Driver has a wide repertoire, which goes back to Bach and Handel as well as including the standard piano works and a good deal of contemporary music and others off the beaten track. I think his wide experience of music has helped him bring light and shade to these demanding études and bring out their qualities as compositions. Incidentally, he writes his own, very helpful, sleevenote, from which I have borrowed. The recording is luminous … if you have the quite reasonable wish to have the complete set on one disc, this will do very nicely’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘It is illuminating to compare Danny Driver’s excellent version with the touchstone recording by the composer’s early champion Pierre-Laurent Aimard … Driver brings this music in from the cold to the pianistic mainstream … [his] expressive approach will have broad appeal, and he certainly takes Ligeti’s technical hurdles in his stride’ (Limelight, Australia)» More