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Editor’s Choice

“Bolstered by vivid leads and the LSO, Rattle’s second Vixen is his best… Pointedly idiomatic in the original Czech, the Vixen of Lucy Crowe, no stranger to the role, is a vivacious creation. Sassy, playful and bitingly sharp though she is, there’s touching tenderness and vulnerability in her duet with Sophia Burgos’s Fox. Gerald Finley’s vividly characterised Forester is just as beautifully sung, rounded, warm and touchingly human as he makes his journey towards an eventual, ardently delivered epiphany. There’s solid support deep into the doubling-up cast, notably from Paulina Malefane’s wife, Hanno Müller-Brachmann’s Harašta, Peter Hoare’s Schoolmaster and Jan Martiník’s Parson. The sprightly Fox Cubs of seven young treble soloists, the LSO Symphony Chorus and LSO Discovery Voices add valuable contributions of their own. Recorded live in 2018, the filler, Janácek’s Sinfonietta, is treated by the LSO’s brass and woodwinds to a faultless performance.” ****

Editor’s Choice

“Bolstered by vivid leads and the LSO, Rattle’s second Vixen is his best… Pointedly idiomatic in the original Czech, the Vixen of Lucy Crowe, no stranger to the role, is a vivacious creation. Sassy, playful and bitingly sharp though she is, there’s touching tenderness and vulnerability in her duet with Sophia Burgos’s Fox. Gerald Finley’s vividly characterised Forester is just as beautifully sung, rounded, warm and touchingly human as he makes his journey towards an eventual, ardently delivered epiphany. There’s solid support deep into the doubling-up cast, notably from Paulina Malefane’s wife, Hanno Müller-Brachmann’s Harašta, Peter Hoare’s Schoolmaster and Jan Martiník’s Parson. The sprightly Fox Cubs of seven young treble soloists, the LSO Symphony Chorus and LSO Discovery Voices add valuable contributions of their own. Recorded live in 2018, the filler, Janácek’s Sinfonietta, is treated by the LSO’s brass and woodwinds to a faultless performance.” ****

Michael Quinn – Limelightmagaine.com.au – 21 October 2020

“Mozartists thrill on urgent journey through second installment of Sturm und Drang.” ****½

Lisa MacKinney – Limelightmagazine.com – 27 October 2020

Editor’s Choice

An itinerant life that produced exciting, exotic music… This is part of a Chandos series called Music in Exile, recorded by the ARC Ensemble from Canada. They play Kaufmann’s music with care, excitement, and even abandon when necessary. I am particularly impressed with violinist Jamie Kruspe in the Sonata, whose portamento and tonal shading point up the music’s exoticism. Clarinettist Joaquin Valdepeñas produces beautiful tone, and pianist Kevin Ahfat accompanies sensitively in both works. Sound quality is first class. Walter Kaufmann is well worth investigating. *****

Editor’s Choice

An itinerant life that produced exciting, exotic music… This is part of a Chandos series called Music in Exile, recorded by the ARC Ensemble from Canada. They play Kaufmann’s music with care, excitement, and even abandon when necessary. I am particularly impressed with violinist Jamie Kruspe in the Sonata, whose portamento and tonal shading point up the music’s exoticism. Clarinettist Joaquin Valdepeñas produces beautiful tone, and pianist Kevin Ahfat accompanies sensitively in both works. Sound quality is first class. Walter Kaufmann is well worth investigating. *****

Phillip Scott – Limelightmagazine.com.au – 16 October 2020

Editor’s Choice

“… The sheer beauty and power of Skelton’s Grimes strikes you first, as does his astonishing control. It’s a vocally heroic portrayal that has its antecedents in Jon Vickers’ indelible interpretation, but with all the poetry and refinement Peter Pears first brought to the part… The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra are simply superb, Gardner moulding every phrase and drawing out every orchestral detail with an inherent understanding of the beauty and violence at the heart of Britten’s score. It’s a captivating, intense, elemental reading that could only be achieved by someone who had lived with and brought to life the score for many years – a masterful achievement.” ****½

Editor’s Choice

“… The sheer beauty and power of Skelton’s Grimes strikes you first, as does his astonishing control. It’s a vocally heroic portrayal that has its antecedents in Jon Vickers’ indelible interpretation, but with all the poetry and refinement Peter Pears first brought to the part… The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra are simply superb, Gardner moulding every phrase and drawing out every orchestral detail with an inherent understanding of the beauty and violence at the heart of Britten’s score. It’s a captivating, intense, elemental reading that could only be achieved by someone who had lived with and brought to life the score for many years – a masterful achievement.” ****½

Justine Nguyen – Limelightmagazine.com.au – 16 October 2020

“… an enjoyable and illuminating program which shows not only Mariño’s vocal artistry to its best advantage but highlights the abundant HIP credentials of the Handel Festival Orchestra Halle under Michael Hofstetter. First Handel, and four arias from Berenice, Regina di Egitto, all of which – including the exquisite Care selve – allow Mariño room for some astonishing feats of embellishment, not least in the vocal cadenzas. Sigismondo’s aria Quella fiamma from Arminio, which closes the Handel section, is a veritable tour-de-force for singer and obligato oboe… Two contrasting, major-key arias, from La Sofonisba and La Corona (both world premiere recordings), provide their own contrast to the spectacular minor-key finale, Oronte’s Care pupille from Il Tigrane. Here, as throughout, Mariño often eschews vocal colour as a means of expression, focussing more on variations in tempo, articulation and ornamentation. It’s a gamble that pays off every time.” ***½

Will Yeoman – limelightmagazine.com.au – 16 November 2020

“…Musical standards are top notch. Christophers’ octet of singers and dozen strings, to which he adds a pair of recorders and a continuo of organ, harpsichord, theorbo and harp, may not be quite as many musicians as Purcell had at his disposal, but the spirited performances pack the necessary punch and there’s a winning clarity brought out in the orchestral and vocal textures… this is another fascinating and appealing release in a highly collectable series.” ****

Clive Paget – limelightmagazine.com.au – 12 November 2020

“… As one might expect, these are the sort of works that appeal to violinists, as they are all display pieces with some interesting technical challenges. Violinist Bojan Cicic is quite capable and his performance has a good sense of phrasing, something quite necessary in view of the virtuoso needs of the solo part. The Illyria Consort continuo is an equal partner, so that the entire performance is a cohesive and well-executed package. As much of the chamber works of this period, it might mainly appeal to chamber music aficionados, as there is a certain structure that make them perhaps more fun to play than to listen to all at a go. Nevertheless, this is a disc well-worth getting, both for the interesting, if sometimes quirky music, and for the fine performance.”

Bertil van Boer – Fanfare – September/October 2020

“… I find almost everything that Thomas Dausgaard does interesting, and this release is no exception… If Bruckner’s Symphony No 6 is Bruckner for people who do not like Bruckner, Dausgaard’s Bruckner takes that one step further … Dausgaard avoids even the slightest hints of ponderousness and portentousness, and this reading gives us all of Bruckner’s splendour and tenderness without any of the excess baggage… The Bergen Philharmonic orchestra plays very well … The splendid recorded sound adds to this issue’s attractiveness …”

Raymond Tuttle – Fanfare – September/October 2020

My Wish List

Desert Island Disc

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Jennifer Pike MBE

Queen's Medal

Gramophone Awards

Korngold BBC triumph!

Gerard Schurmann

Colli IP Cover Star

Reicha 250 Anniversary

Ralph Couzens Interview

Tasmin Little

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