‘[Julius Drake] is equal to the demands of the piano writing, conjuring all the drama of the shipwreck in 'Loreley' as the siren tempts the sailors on to the rocks. It's a fine recording as well, the whole thing as good as anything in this series so far’ (BBC Record Review)

‘It’s a huge compliment given the recordings out there already that it sounds as though these pieces might have been written for Osborne, so well does he identify with their musical intent, and rise to their sometimes extreme challenges … Osborne captures the mixture of the militarily mechanistic, the terror, the lyrical beauty, sudden cinematic flights of fancy in all three of these sonatas … so does the recording, which effortlessly encompasses the huge explosions, percussive attack, dynamic range, sudden silences and lyrical moments as well. It’s a stunning album, all in all’ (BBC Record Review)

„Das äußerst feine Nuancieren, ein tief empfundenes Rubato, spontan wirkende Akzente, all das lässt diesen ‘Zeitvertreib im Dämmerlicht’ in herbstlichen Farben sowie einer Mischung von Resignation und Nostalgie sehr schön und für den Hörer auch sehr beruhigend werden. Ich muss weit in meiner Schallplattensammlung zurückgehen, um etwas ähnlich Bezauberndes zu finden. Am ehesten wohl zu Radu Lupu“ (Pizzicato, Luxembourg)

‘Tamsin Waley-Cohen and James Baillieu embrace this personal idiom with stylistic aplomb and an unfailing ability to project with tenderness the lyricism of slow movements. Their affection for the music is evident throughout … an immensely pleasurable and accomplished release’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Hewitt sounds completely immersed in the music's expressive soundworld, as well as its peerless structural logic—she's more inclined to take her listeners by the hand and say ‘listen to just how wonderful this passage is' … what impresses most is Hewitt's sheer joy and sense of wonder in Bach's creative genius. The G major Partita can easily become over-emphatic in its easy-going assertiveness, yet Hewitt creates the impression of the music dancing on air, subtly cushioning her finger action and micro-pedalling to create a magical soundworld of crushed velvet—the third movement Corrente sounds like musical water droplets falling gently and emanating gentle ripples of sound. Hewitt's pointillist sensitivity to colour and texture reaches its apex in the D major Partita in which every aspect of the music is held in perfect symbiosis—the second movement Allemande is especially ravishing in its time suspending fusion of dance and song, captured in glowing sound by Ludger Böckenhoff’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More

‘But come the opening of Korngold’s Quintet, where you could as well be sampling a chamber reduction of lavish music for the movies The Sea Hawk or Elizabeth and Essex, and the Lane/Goldner Quartet combination comes into its own. Korngold had been wowing his audiences since the age of 13, when his amazing Sinfonietta was premiered under Felix Weingartner. Talk about a mature heart in a young ribcage. Performance-wise the Goldners indulge some well-aimed expressive portamentos but what is most important is that their performance, Lane’s too, really does get the message across. The beautifully played central Adagio … should be enough to convince you’ (Gramophone)

‘Piers Lane and the Goldner Quartet offer fabulously ‘golden age’-style performances, in keeping with the aesthetics of both works. The musicians are long-established colleagues and this pays dividends in music with such intricate textures and treacherous switches of gear, to say nothing of occasional idiosyncrasies (notably in the Bartók). They prove ideal guides, captivating the ear with their sense of rhythm and awareness of lurking shadows in the Bartók, wholehearted joy in the Korngold opening and that slow movement’s sensual gorgeousness’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘I was mesmerised by the veiled quality of sound and almost timeless approach to rubato that characterises his interpretations of the more introverted pieces, such as the E major Intermezzo, Op 116 No 4 and the B minor Intermezzo, Op 119 No 1. At the opposite end of the dynamic spectrum, Hough brings a powerful almost percussive edginess to turbulent pieces such as the D minor Capriccio, Op 116 No 1, the G minor Ballade, Op 118 No 3 and the extraordinarily defiant battle that rages through the Rhapsodie, Op 119 No 4. Most compelling of all, perhaps, is Hough's searingly intense and dramatic interpretation of the E flat minor Intermezzo, Op 118 No 6. There are undoubtedly many worthy recordings of this repertoire in the current catalogue, but Hough has something special to say about the music, and this recording certainly warrants an enthusiastic recommendation’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More

‘The real highlight of this disc is Johannes Lupi’s (c1506-1539) Marian motet Salve celeberrima virgo: a rich, velvety texture thrillingly permeated with the spirit of Gombert, and sporting a cadence at ‘et quam decora’ that is near-identical to the first part of Lugebat David Absalon. Lupi again catches the ear with his motet Quam pulchra es via an extraordinary cadenza-like passage on the final Amen. As ever with Stephen Rice’s programmes, this album contains many enjoyable discoveries presented with a clean, bright sound that’s unrelentingly attractive and impressive’ (Gramophone)

‘Fretwork takes everything in its expertly burnished stride … this is an utterly civilised and civilising release’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘The performances here blaze with conviction. Kleiter’s tone is wonderfully even and exceptionally beautiful over a wide vocal range, and her commitment is never for a second in doubt. Mignon’s anguish is vividly realised as Liszt tellingly blurs the distinctions between the lover, protector and father to whom the song is addressed and Drake whips up a veritable storm at the mention of ‘der Drachen alte Brut’ that tips the music towards nightmare. Kleiter unleashes a glorious flood of sound at the climactic invocation of ‘Musik, du Mächtige’ in ‘Die Macht der Musik’, but she’s also capable of ravishing pianissimos in the exquisite ‘Kling leise, mein Lied’ and at the close of ‘Oh! quand je dors’, where the final phrase drifts wistfully upwards to its final silence. Drake is similarly at his best here, providing darkness as well as wit in ‘Enfant, si j’étais roi’ and a real display of virtuosity, drama and colour as the boat sinks in ‘Die Loreley’. A marvellous disc and a great recital in its own right, this is arguably the finest instalment of the series to date. Do listen to it’ (Gramophone)

‘While each member of the Leonore Trio (Benjamin Nabarro, violin; Gemma Rosefield, cello; Tim Horton, piano) brings a strong individual profile to their respective parts, the group’s marvelously dovetailed interplay and crackling ensemble precision leave me breathless. Collectors drawn to the chamber repertoire’s neglected corners should snap up this thoroughly enchanting, smartly annotated, and wonderfully engineered release’ (Classics Today)» More