REVIEWS

Mieczyslaw Karlowicz
(1876-1909)

Gramphone Disc of the Month May 2004
'The BBC Philharmonic's playing and Chandos' recording uphold their customary high standards, the orchestra's principal conductor Giandrea Noseda yielding not an inch to his predecessors in turns of energy and insight.'
Gramophone

BBC Music Magazine Disc of the Month April 2004
'Chandos' first CD of orchestral music by Mieczyslaw Karolwicz, the great hope of the 'Young Poland' movement who died in 1909 aged only 32, was one of my favourite discs of 2002. For this follow-up, Gianandrea Noseda takes over from Yan Pascal Tortelier, and the repertoire comes from earlier in Karlowicz's short career... A worthy successor to the first release - and there must be at least another disc's worth to come.
BBC Music Magazine

'Gianandrea Noseda brings the same level off devotion to this unfamiliar music as did Yan Pascal Tortelier in Vol 1 (CHAN 9986), with the BBC Philharmonic, as so often, giving the impression that is has been playing it all its life. The strings shine in the Serenade while the brass come to the fore in the more grandiose passages of the Symphony.'
The Telegraph

'He's [Karlowicz] best known for his symphonic poems, but Noseda gives the premiere recording of Karlowicz's only symphony, an early programmatic work that is a masterly synthesis of Richard Strauss and Tchaikovsky (think of the Fifth). The fillers are both even earlier - and equally well caught.'
The Independent

'Charming and worth investigating.'
Classic FM Magazine

CHAN 10171

Andrea Gabrieli
(Italy, 1533-1585)

CHAN 0697

'The singing and playing are thoroughly enjoyable. The program is a sampling of all the types of secular texts that the composer set, though the notes point to the connection of one or more to the 1572 celebration of the great victory at Lepanto over the Turks. The notes are excellent... Highly recommended' Fanfare

'Anyone who is smitten with the muscial traditions of this most fascinating of all cities, should not hesitate to buy this record.'
Gramophone

'This is a recording which plugs a gaping hole in our knowledge of the Italian madrigal with music of fabulous richness. Together with their recent recording of music by Thomas Tomkins this new release marks a real maturing of I Fagiolini's talent. It's also a good day for Andrea Gabrieli - frankly, no one ever suspected his secular stuff was anywhere near this good. This is quite simply one of the most enthralling madrigal antholgies on the market.'
International Record Review

'This is 'the first recording to cover the whole range of [Andreas'] secular vocal output', and a very welcome addition to the discography.'
American Record Guide

Sergey Vasil’yevich Rachmaninov
(1873–1943)

'Alexander Ivashkin and Rustem Hayroudinoff are both players in the great Russian virtuoso tradition, and in the Sonata the piano flourishes all come over with the necessary brilliance, while Ivashkin's tone is strong enough to sail above the most elaborate accompaniments. They're helped by excellent recorded sound, full and well defined. It's obvious that both players are strongly committed to the music.'
Gramophone

CHAN 10095

The Berkeley Edition, Volume 3

CHAN 10080

'Throughout Richard Hickox draws brilliant playing from his band, energetic where necessary, sonically overwhelming in the Garden. Anthon Burton's notes are excellent, too, helpful and so objective that they don't tell you how good all the music on this spanking third volume of the Berkeleys really is.' International Record Review 'Performances and sound are exemplary.' American Record Guide

Ernest John Moeran
(1894–1950)

'The Cello Concerto was written for Peers Coetmore who was to become his wife. Raphael Wallfisch's playing makes the neglect of this glorious piece all the more astonishing.'
Gramophone

Leonard Bernstein
(1918–1990)

'Jamie Bernstein has reworked the narration written by her father, adding to the work's frenetic complexity, which registers powerfully in this recording. Fans of heart-on-sleeve Berntsein will enjoy bold versions of his Chichester Psalms and Missa Brevis.'
Classic FM Magazine

CHAN 10172

CHAN 10165

Johannes Brahms

'Albrecht's performance with the Danish Choir and Orchestra may be less polished than Sinopoli's DG version, but it is markedly warmer and more idiomatic...'
The Guardian

'These receive lovely performances, beautifully sung and played and firmly shaped, in a sympthetic ambience.'
BBC Music Magazine

Ernest John Moeran
(1894–1950)

'...it is a toe-tapper of palpable joy.'
Gramophone

Sir John Blackwood McEwen
(Scotland, 1868–1948)

'This attractive program, easy on the ear, will please all British music lovers.'
The Delian (Delius Society)

Sir Geoge Dyson
(1883-1964)

'There are so many magnificent moments that space does not permit comment on every section. Suffice it to say that the soloists are all in great voice, the choral work is superb and Hickox draws sublime playing from the orchestra. This CD is required listening for all lovers of English choral music.'
The Delian (Delius Society)

'The performance does Dyson proud: Hickox is rather good at this kind of thing, and his soloists and choruses are generally reliable... and Chandos has given them good sound... enthusiastically recommended.'
Fanfare

'It's hard to imagine Quo Vadis getting a better performance than it receives here… The four soloists share a directness of approach that aptly serves Dyson's metaphysical rhetoric: elevated but not pretentious. Conductor Richard Hickox surely deserves credit for this, as he does for beautifully balanced choral work and the lustrous orchestral playing. All of this captured by Chandos in sound that's astonishingly spacious and detailed.'
Opera News (USA)

Maurice Ravel
(1875-1937)

'In terms of sound, the Snape Maltings acoustic is beautifully natural. Indeed, on the whole, Lortie's set contains many fine accounts of individual pieces and can be recommended.'
Pianist

The Berkeley Edition, Volume 3

CHAN 10080

'Recommended highly.' The Delian (Delius Society) 'Throughout Richard Hickox draws brilliant playing from his band, energetic where necessary, sonically overwhelming in the Garden. Anthon Burton's notes are excellent, too, helpful and so objective that they don't tell you how good all the music on this spanking third volume of the Berkeleys really is.' International Record Review 'Performances and sound are exemplary.' American Record Guide

Sir John Blackwood McEwen
(Scotland, 1868–1948)

'From the French flavours of No. 8 to the Scottish stylings of No. 15, this is interwar British music at its very best: breathing native tradition but fully aware of Continental developments... beautifully played by the Chilingirians.'
Independent

'CHAN 10182 follows two other McEwen quartet discs by the excellent Chilingirian Quartet: they sink themselves into McEwen's idiom the way others might sink themselves into a foam-filled bath. And with equally pleasurable results.'
Telegraph

Sir Arnold Bax

'While I do not have a soft spot for Bax's piano idiom, I have no reservations in recommending this excellent survey , not only ofr its comprehensiveness, but also for the scholarly, distinguished playing of Eric Parkin. His pedalling in the complex, orchestral washes Bax paints in masterly; his pianism is self-effacing; quite simply he reveals Bax the composer, not Parkin the pianist.'
Pianist

'This wonderful music ranges form the melodic and folksy to the cragginess of the sonatas. Eric Parkin's pianism is beyond praise, and the recording excellent. If you missed this the first time around, grab it now while you can.'
American Record Guide

'If you've been attracted to Bax by Chandos' recent series of the symphonies (CHAN 10122(5)), you'll find this a fascinating companion set.'
BBC Music Magazine

'Above all it is the four Piano Sonatas, on the first two of the four CDs which comprise this set - over-used word, I know - which are indispensible.'
International Record Review

'Four CDs of well-textured, luscious, strong-willed music, its influences ranging from Russian church bells to the emotional impact of the Great War. Sympathetic, brilliant playing from Parkin.'
Classic FM Magazine

Alan Opie sings Bel Canto Arias
Great Operatic Arias

'Opie has een a faithful servant of opera for Britain for many years, and this sompilation presents him in on impressive form. He dispenses firm tone, well supported , with a ringing top, and he produces long phrases, with a legato helped by clear enunciation which is unhampered by overstressing.'
Gramophone

CHAN 3085

Mieczyslaw Weinberg
(1919-1996)
Symphonies, Volume 1

'...Gabriel Chmura has a demostrable feel for the fine-honed intensity which chracterizes Weinberg's thinking. On the basis of its first instalment, the, this traversal of his symphonies is set to be a rewarding one.'
International Record Review

'Weinberg wrote 22 Symphonies, and if this disc is an indication of what is to come, then Chandos' complete cycle will be a landmark.'
The Independent

'These are superb and passionately idiomatic performances in very good sound.'
BBC Music Magazine

The Berkeley Edition

'The fourth volume of the invaluable Chandos Berkeley series repeats the successful formula of the previous issues... like the others in this series, this is a disc to return to for ever-increasing rewards.'
International Record Review

'This magnificent series devoted to the two Berkeleys continues, with operas and solo piano music still to come. Three out of four works here are first recordings and as in the previous three volumes there are revelations, with Richard Hickox as the ideal interpreter in every way.'
Gramophone

Amy Beach

'The playing of the chamber group founded by Diana Ambache is both beautiful and distinguished.'
Manchester Evening News

'Recorded sound is warm and vibrant and the disc is thoroughly recommended for the group's perceptive and idiomatic approach to this delicate, enchanting music.'
The Strad

'Amy Beach's music inhabits conservative rather than progressive ground, a universe or two removed from American contemporaries like Ives. Nevertheless it is fine work, and it's good to welcome this excellent disc containing two major chamber compositions together with a pair of shorter, charming minor pieces.'
International Record Review

'Ambache is a flexible ensemble, expanding to the task in hand. All these performances are nicely accomplished and well engineered.'
Hi-Fi News