“… she [Staneva] makes a fine impression here. There is nothing to find fault with in her playing, which is engaging and has been recorded very well …”

“… Recommended …”

**** Excellent Album

“…I was taken with Staneva’s playing in her début CD Slavic Roots, with piano music by Pancho Vladigerov on Chandos and equally so here. Her tone is rich and even and if her playing is occasionally a just a little forthright she clearly enjoys the subtleties of Mompou’s writing and his sudden harmonic twist and turns; his multi-layered and often quite delicate textures are balanced beautifully.”

Performance ****      Recording ****

“… She [Staneva] draws a deep, cushioned sound from the piano and seemingly does not see any need to sacrifice thoughtfulness for plain brilliance. She brings out the dance elements that almost always lurk in the background of the Catalonian composer’s writing… and performs with a sincerity, spaciousness, affection for the music and quiet confidence that make me eager to hear what she will do next… Recorded sound is very warm and Potton Hall’s intimate acoustic suits the music…”

Sound 9      Booklet 9      Repertoire 10      Interpretation 8.5

“… She approaches everything in a dynamic way, but also relaxed, and rich in supple and convincing harmonies…. Marina Staneva recorded her album during the first two days of last April at Potton Hall in Dunwich, Suffolk, a setting with a rich sound, through which she gets her message across. After her first album for Chandos around Bulgaria, she moved into another universe and succeeded in offering this seductive second business card. We await others with interest.”