Ivan Ilic

“… Symphonies 2 & 6, both delightfully done. Gardner’s fleet … are no barrier to clarity and draw a poised response from the players, faithfully captured in Ralph Couzens’s engineering. It’s also good to have the two Overtures in the Italian Style (one in C, the other in D); like the Symphonies these Overtures are full of memorable tunes and enticing rhythms, here brought off with style and shared pleasure.”

“…Together, this selection casts an irresistible light on the musical scene in the Restoration period beyond Purcell and before the arrival of Handel on these shores.”  *****

“…The Liszt CD certainly lives up to its title as Moog steers the Sonata in B-minor between extremes of energy and meditative stillness. His formidable attention to detail sounds completely organic, and matters of phrasing and rubato add greatly to an intensely communicative approach that is both intuitive and deeply considered… The two Légendes prove how thoroughly Moog is inside Liszt’s spiritual idiom… Moog’s moody and magnificent account of the Dante Sonata and his ebullient way with the late Csárdás obstiné complete a programme that covers four decades of Liszt’s genius with impeccable brilliance and understanding.” *****

“…This recording can, hopefully, continue to project Tishchenko’s reputation beyond Russia, where he is a revered composer in post-war Russia. He seems to have continued his teacher’s penchant for ambiguous messages in his music that makes for fascinating listening. The Harp Concerto is a good example; so are his many symphonies and choral works. As such, he deserves a much higher profile in the world’s music centres, and this CD can be easily recommended as an introduction to his large output.” ****

“…Cunningham directs London Early Opera from the harpsichord, and together they provide some stylish accompaniments, partnering the singers astutely in distilling the mood or affetto of each aria, but not unduly distracting attention away from the vocal line. Despite the ensemble comprising two dozen musicians, apart from Cunningham, the levity and unanimity of their playing sounds more chamber-like, so that occasionally greater depth from the orchestral sonority might have been welcome, but otherwise it ensures a bustling and energetic pace the rest of the time. Overall this is a mouth-watering compilation, made even more enticing with extensive notes about the singers and operas, along with texts and translations of the arias chosen.”  *****

"... This is a greatly rewarding disc both on its own terms and as a follow up to Beethoven’s masterpiece."   ****

“Utah forces excel in both national epic and Czarist bureaucracy.” ****½