‘There are few pianists who offer such range and depth of palette: not even Ashkenazy's seminal reading … this has award-winner written all over it’ (Gramophone)

‘A marvellous disc … this excellently chosen selection of Rachmnaninov's finest solo piano works is played with superb panache by Demidenko … with warm acoustic, a most appealing disc’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Even in the current age of super-virtuosos, the demands of Rachmaninov's piano music are such that few players prove genuinely equal to the challenge. Nikolai Demidenko is certainly one—his control of dynamics, myriad tonal shadings and intuitive grasp of where the music is going inspire the greatest admiration … this is an exceptional collection of unforgettable miniatures’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘Shelley and Macnamara find the necessary eloquence to bring life to the descriptive passages of the First Suite, and a real driving energy for the Second. The Symphonic Dances works beautifully for two pianos, and is played with consistently compelling sensitivity and flair’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘An exciting new Rachmaninov set that's definitely not to be missed’ (HMV Choice)

‘An electrifying double-disc set’ (The Scotsman)

‘The spark of these live performances has survived inevitable patching sessions to place Stephen Hough's complete account of Rachmaninov's works for piano and orchestra into the top flight’ (Music Week)

‘Carefully considered interpretations despatched with consummate musicianship and virtuosity, and using as their inspiration Rachmaninov's own recordings’ (The Mail on Sunday)

‘What Hough has come up with is much fleeter and leaner than the overripe romantic effects usually lavished on these concertos … he keeps the music on the move, carefully regulating its ebb and flow, so that Rachmaninov’s melodies float above the harmonic feints and sidesteps … as fine as anything Hough has done on disc to date’ (The Guardian)

‘Overall, these live concert recordings stand out in a field jam-packed with first-rate Rachmaninov concerto cycles’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘These rank among the most illuminating—and most compelling—performances in the catalog. Whether you're a Rachmaninov addict looking for fresh perspectives on the music or a neophyte looking for the cycle in up-to-date sound, Hough and Litton can be recommended without hesitation’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘This is fin-de-siècle musical romance moulded with perception, and Hough himself is on magnificent form … Hough's set takes the palm as the pre-eminent digital edition of the Rachmaninov piano concertos’ (The Independent)