‘One of those rare occasions when composer, score, soloist, conductor and orchestra all combine in perfect synchronicity, when ‘everything comes together’ if you will … your hardened reviewer is not ashamed to admit that, once again, it moved him to tears. So if you are wondering if you need another Rachmaninov Third in your collection and on an album that lasts just 42'23", the answer is a resounding ‘yes’’ (Gramophone)

‘After an excellent album with Kalabis’s Concerto for harpsichord and string orchestra, which was written for Růžičková and recorded by her student Mahan Esfahani [on Hyperion CDA68397], Hyperion brings out a small Kalabis treasure trove. It is a welcome addition to the modest discography of this composer. Kalabis is lucky to be championed by Gidon Kremer and his Kremerata Baltica. The album opens with four Duettina from 1987, in which the violinist is joined by the brilliant young Latvian cellist Magdalena Ceple. Under their fingers these duos sound like a happy homage to both Bartók and Enescu’ (Gramophone)

‘Benjamin Grosvenor’s Chopin is undoubtedly of the highest class … Grosvenor is not afraid to indulge in a little left-before-right desynchronisation, but only for the sake of expressive contrast, not least in structural repeats, and his textural voicing is always judicious’ (Gramophone)

‘Able to rank alongside the finest … the uniqueness of the present coupling is hardly the least of its assets. With sound of unfailing definition and focus, it demonstrably takes Kanneh-Mason’s standing on to a whole new level’ (Gramophone)

‘I love the way Hamelin ever-so-slightly stretches the longer notes in his opening accompanying figure [of the Dvořák], immediately drawing one into this interior world, and how cellist András Fejér sculpts his glorious solo in generous expressive arcs … the Dumka movement itself is exquisite, the slow sections played with refinement and delicacy … they play the brief Scherzo that serves as a finale [in the Price] with a light touch that somehow blends the lyrical seriousness of the opening movement with the Juba’s high spirits. As a result, the whole work flows with a sense of rightness … with recorded sound that’s at once detailed and atmospheric, this new Hyperion release is pure pleasure in every respect’ (Gramophone)

‘It’s a wonderful showcase for the instrument in all its guises—comic, serious, balletic—including a piece by Ruth Gipps called Honey-coloured cow, which is the title of the album and includes a ‘moo’ … compulsory for bassoonists, but sheer delight for anyone else’ (BBC Record Review)

‘This is an alert, cohesive, significant addition to the discography, one presenting the opera in the continuous flow—no divisions between the three acts—that Wagner originally imagined … Finley, now 65 and having gained vocal powers in the bass range, visits the character’s emotional states more vividly, not unlike a lieder performance, and conveying an almost unbearably clear overview of his ocean imprisonment. At times his voice actually shivers in ways that aren’t an option for larger voices … [Davidsen's] signature sound towers above the rest of the cast … this recording will wear well over the long run’ (Gramophone)

‘Few people have done more than Laurence Perkins to promote the bassoon … do invest in this delightful little disc. Hours of fascinating listening await’ (The Mail on Sunday)» More

‘Powerful, fearless, mostly singing with vocal beauty, [Davidsen] is a force to reckon with … these may have been concert performances, but they lack nothing in drama thanks to Gardner’s grip on pace and tension. Add in a lusty contribution from the choir and very decent orchestral playing and there is no reason to hold back’ (Financial Times)

‘Their performance of Dvořák’s magical second piano quintet is magnificent. The verve and sheer beauty of the string playing is immediately apparent in the glorious cello solo at the opening, but such exquisite moments never get in the way of a strong feeling for overall structure which pays huge dividends in the outer movements’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More

‘Even for ardent Brianophiles, Hyperion’s latest release will set pulses racing for its first recording of Agamemnon, the fourth—and shortest—of Brian’s five operas … the ENO Orchestra provide a flawless account of the score, firmly controlled by Brabbins, who ensures that the weighty scoring does not overwhelm the singers. John Findon in the title-role is the pick of the soloists, though Eleanor Dennis makes a formidable Clytemnestra, coping admirably with some cruelly high, exposed, vocal writing … one of Brian’s most luminous scores [Symphony No 6], this is its third recording and arguably the best … those who, like me, grew up with Myer Fredman’s pioneering original on Lyrita now have a rival version of equal finesse to compare with’ (Gramophone)

‘Spence, in wonderful voice here, sings with bronzed tone, a keen sense of line and a reined-in intensity that allows words and emotional shifts to register fully. There’s a telling surge of feeling at ‘Ô bien-aimée’, in ‘La lune blanche’, and a real sense of rapture in the ecstatic arching phrase in which ‘vous’ become ‘tu’ at the close of ‘J’ai presque peur, en vérité’. The Piatti Quartet and double-bass player Tim Gibbs sound exquisite in ‘Une sainte en son auréole’ at the start, where the piano is silent before excitedly ushering in the new dawn of the second song, ‘Puisque l’aube grandit’. Drake is excellent, as one might expect, anchoring a fine ensemble performance in which all the players seem to function as one … it's a most distinguished recital, and warmly recommended’ (Gramophone)