Saint-Saëns: Works for Piano & Orchestra

Shortlisted for the Gramophone Concerto Award

Performance ****½      Sonics (Multichannel) *****

“… Very highly recommended.”

“…Kantrow defies comparisons. He is flawlessly partnered by his father, Jean-Jacques Kantrow, alert to his son’s every audacious move. NIS’s sound is as immediate and vivid as the performances themselves.”

Concerto Choice

Performance *****      Recording *****

“This sparkling showcase from the father-and-son team is truly outstanding … this disc completes a Saint-Saëns piano concerto set that has few peers and none that are better.”

Editor’s Choice – Orchestral Section

“… There is a palpable exuberance and joy in the way these works come across, none more so in the four concertante works for piano and orchestra … It’s a terrific programme …”

Classic Today Recommendation

Artistic Quality 10     Sound Quality 10     Overall Impression 10

“… this CD belongs in every piano concert collection: the top marks are more than deserved.”

Classical Album of the Week

“… It’s impossible … not to be amazed by the dancing clarity of Kantorow’s fingerwork, especially magical in the decorative icing of the Wedding Cake valse-caprice and the second concerto’s finale. At the same time, he always gives the more serious side of his French countryman its due, with sobriety, grandeur, and a tiger’s strength taking their place beside kittenish games and delicate charm. The lively orchestra is the Tapiola Sinfonietta, conducted by Jean-Jacques Kantorow, the soloist’s proud father…” ****

***** Coup de Cœur

“… It’s impossible … not to be amazed by the dancing clarity of Kantorow’s fingerwork, especially magical in the decorative icing of the Wedding Cake valse-caprice and the second concerto’s finale. At the same time, he always gives the more serious side of his French countryman its due, with sobriety, grandeur, and a tiger’s strength taking their place beside kittenish games and delicate charm. The lively orchestra is the Tapiola Sinfonietta, conducted by Jean-Jacques Kantorow, the soloist’s proud father…”  ****

“… An impressive effort, especially where the concerti are concerned–enthusiastically recommended.”