‘Hough plays with a brilliance that conveys delicacy of feeling as well as virtuosity and power’ (The Mail on Sunday)

‘No mere warhorse anymore, the concerto here rises in integrity while Hough time and time again reminds us that this is his carefully considered take on the score… Vänskä is a fine accompanist. A musician who himself revels in rethinking scores, it is as if Hough has met his dream soul mate… the fire comes from Hough's determination; his conductor sticks with him all the way… the audience's enthusiastic reaction says it all… a fitting 50th volume celebration to a series of major importance’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘[Concerto No 1] is injected with exhilharation, the bravura tempered with limpid lyricism … this set is a worthy tribute to the longevity of Hyperion's series’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Stephen Hough's account of the First Piano Concerto, dazzling as it may be, is only one of the highlights in this exceptional collection of all of Tchaikovsky's works for piano and orchestra … Hough's ability to strip off the layers of varnish from a work so that it recaptures much of its startling freshness is remarkable, and his combination of bravura swagger and the most fastidious care with line and texture is utterly convincing’ (The Guardian)

‘Anyone who heard Stephen Hough's barnstorming performances of all the Tchaikovsky piano concertos at last year's Proms will want to own these CDs … Osmo Vänskä's suave direction of the Minnesota players allows Hough's brilliance to shine through’ (The Observer)

‘Stephen Hough, without rival in bringing new life to popular repertoire with a romantic sweep … with Hough at the keys, the First Concerto becomes no warhorse taken for a dutiful trot but a freshly imagined masterpiece bouncing with surprises and invention. Beyond Hough's crystalline clarity, dash and power, Vänskä displays complete mastery of the music's architecture, engineering tension particularly well in the finale's hurly burly … but it's the set's lesser pieces that offer the most revelations … the Second Concerto flourishes as never before’ (The Times)

‘Brilliantly played but thoughtfully reconsidered interpretations … he achieves the remarkable feat of not making the B flat major concerto sound remotely hackneyed. Sparks fly thanks to his outstanding conductor … he makes the strongest possible case for the restoration of the neglected and often reviled G major concerto (No 2)’ (The Sunday Times)

‘The electrifying pace Hough injects into the codas of No 1 and the Concert Fantasia are suitably exciting, though these are nothing compared to the tumultuous final pages of No 2 (a tremendous performance). The audience whoops in amazement … this is a great recording—no doubt about that—and one which, if there is any justice, will garner any number of awards’ (Gramophone)

‘Leslie Howard's mammoth trek through Liszt's complete piano compositions and transcriptions (also for Hyperion) marks him out as a pianist quite undaunted by the super-virtuosic, but he employs his virtuosity entirely for the tasteful interpretation of the music’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Much stirring music, some unexpected delicacies, and generally walloping performances’ (The Observer)

'Hay que referirse al extraordinario rigor y sensibilidad musical de Howard: precisión, equilibrio, brillantez, fraseo amplio y cálido, riqueza expresiva' (Scherzo, Spain)

‘I am happy to have heard these beautifully recorded, fully convincing performances by a pianist with a rich sound and ample technique who believes in what he is doing. The warm, clear recorded sound and Howard's playing make this the Tchaikovsky piano disc to acquire’ (Fanfare, USA)