Farrenc: Piano Trios Nos. 2 & 4, Opp. 34 & 45, Variations concertantes sur un air suisse, Op. 20 & Violin Sonata, Op. 37

“… All of the performances from the Linos Ensemble are wonderful and are accorded excellent, vibrant sonics. Easily recommendable.”

“Farrenc is emerging from the shadow of her contemporaries with every new album. Unlike the irrepressible, Schumannesque vigour of her quintets, the Op.34 Trio looks backwards to turn-of-the-century Vienna without sounding old-fashioned or reliant on hand-me-down ideas… Winfried Rademacher brings authentically Beethovenian gravity and an old-school, aristocratic tone to the Violin Sonata …”

“… With its attractive melodies and overall fine construction, Farrenc’s music has gone unnoticed for too long and only recently has it been receiving the recognition it deserves. Kudos to the Linos Ensemble for taking steps to further its appreciation.”

“… The Linos Ensemble offers here an exceptional album of chamber works, hailing from the era of Mendelssohn and Schumann… Pianist Konstanze Eickhorst makes the most of her opportunities in this piece [Trio No. 2], which is sophisticated, intricate, and graceful… The musicianship is terrific in the Violin Sonata 1 in C minor (1848) … Just shy of 80 minutes, I can honestly say that this album does not wear out its welcome.”

“…Farrenc’s recent emergence from the shadows is long overdue, and this disc does her proud.”

International Classical Music Award 2024 Nomination in the Chamber Music category

Sound 9      Booklet 10      Repertoire 9     Interpretation 10

“…Beautiful moments punctuate the intertwined sounds. All of this repertoire provides real moments of listening pleasure, because the Linos Ensemble brings great momentum to the richness of nuances…”

“The Linos excel again in Farrenc. Her chamber music best showcases the composer’s gift for melody, often offset by poignant harmonies…” *****

“Finely balanced music-making makes a strong case for Farrenc.”

“… The program offers a wide spectrum of Louise Farrenc’s undeniable talent and especially of her versatile chamber music style. The Linos Ensemble’s interpretations are chamber-musical in the best sense, balanced in partnership and infused with musicianship. Vital passages are just as pleasing as the lyrical moments. At the piano, Konstanze Eickhorst is a consistently fine performer. The fine flute playing of Kersten McCall is also very pleasing. Mario Blumauer plays stylishly on a warm-sounding cello…” ****