‘As you can probably gather from what I've written thus far, there's so much to enjoy and think about on this disc that it's hard to know just what to single out for further discussion or praise. Since every bit of the music is presented as winningly as possible, all in warm, natural sound that perfectly complements the Gestalt of the material, let me therefore just speed you toward your nearest vendor by saying that this disc could not be more highly recommended’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘In the piano pieces and songs alike, Johnson plays with luminous tone and a natural feeling for Schumannesque rubato. And as ever, his sleeve notes alone are worth the price of the disc’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Lott, Murray and Johnson tap stright into that tender warmth and intimacy—and there's the perpetual sense that these performers are close friends who love making music together’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘The simplest songs, often unpromising on the page, are done with touching ingenuousness and candour. Both singers are natural storytellers with a twinkling sense of fun’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Marwood and the BBC Scottish Symphony under Douglas Boyd go at it with a great deal of enthusiasm, with the solo line very prominent in the sound picture. The single-movement Phantasie in C is more cogent and rewarding, while the 'Violin Concerto in A minor' is a real curiosity—the composer's 1853 recasting of his Cello Concerto in the same key’ (The Guardian)

‘In a performance as strong and imaginative as this one by Anthony Marwood its impact is considerable. The sinew of the first movement, with its bold opening statement and toughness of inner workings, is contrasted with the mellow, reflective lyricism of the central slow one and with the gentle whimsicalities of the polonaise finale. There are firm Schumann fingerprints all over the score, and it fully merits the passionate advocacy that it receives here, both from Marwood as soloist and from Douglas Boyd’s astutely balanced conducting of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. This is Vol 13 of Hyperion’s Romantic Violin Concerto series, sensibly completed with two other Schumann works. The A minor Violin Concerto is a transcription by the composer himself of his Cello Concerto, done in 1853 but never performed in his lifetime. The violin version, not surprisingly, gives the music a brighter, airier perspective than the original for cello, with a particular sparkle to the finale, and Marwood here coaxes out its expressive niceties and vitality with an assured touch’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Anthony Marwood, with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Douglas Boyd in alert support, makes absolutely the best case for the Schumann Violin Concerto, bringing fire where necessary to the first movement and a nice relaxation to the seraphic slow movement … the C major Phantasie for violin and orchestra … is the real McCoy: it brought to mind such pieces as the magnificent four-horn Konzertstück in its combination of inner strength, free-flowing contrasts and lyric warmth … the poise of the soloist, the responsiveness of the Scottish orchestra and the fine recording make the best possible case for yet another neglected work, as indeed they do for this release as a whole’ (International Record Review)

‘Stylish, full-blooded artistry … matched with impeccable performing’ (BBC CD Review)

‘Anthony Marwood’s high range of colours serves the music’s passions perfectly, and the pianist Susan Tomes is very much an equal partner. Marwood is allowed to sing with rapture’ (The Sunday Times)

‘The performances have all the virtues – clarity, focus, warmth of feeling, superb technique – that have distinguished The Florestan Trio’s discs’ (International Record Review)

‘Recommended, without reservation’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘The best performances of these pieces on disc’ (Gramophone)