REVIEWS

Hubert Clifford
(Australia, 1904-1959)

Edgar Bainton
(England/Australia, 1880-1956) 1)

'Delightful'
BBC Music Magazine

Per Nørgård
(Denmark, b.1932)

'This important collection adds to our grasp of Denmark's greatest living composer, and is sung with bundles of dedicated precision.'
BBC Music Magazine

Thomas Tomkins
(Wales, 1572-1656)

'...of the 26 madrigals and anthems here, 16 are not otherwise available on disc - reason alone to welcome this delightful recording.'
BBC Music Magazine

Franz Schubert
(Austria, 1797 - 1828)

'A lively, polished account of the Trout Quintet'
Gramophone

Franz Joseph Haydn
(Austria, 1732-1809)

'This concluding issue follows a similar pattern to earlier discs in this prize-winning series, offering exhilarating performances which wear their period style lightly.'
Gramophone

Benjamin Britten
(England, 1913-1976)

'Hickox's enthusiastic advocacy is a splendid addition to his expanding survey on disc of Britten's stage works. He enters into the spirit of the piece as successfully as Britten himself...'
Gramophone

Giacomo Puccini
(Italy, 1858-1924)

'Even more compelling is Jane Eaglen's magnificent and memorable account of the title role - emotional dramatic and musically incisive.'
Classic FM Magazine

Appassionato
Lydia Mordkovith violin
James Kirby piano

'This is a wonderful collection of virtuoso violin pieces from the romantic era... they're all played with great flair.'
Classic FM Magazine

Frank Bridge
(England, 1879-1941)

'Excellent orchestral playing, some first-rate annotation by Paul Hindmarsh and characteristically ripe sound from Chandos help to cement a strong recommendation.'
Gramophone

Mark Anthony Turnage
(England, b. 1960)

'This is stunning and strongly recommended. Turnage's unique sound-world - as distinctive in its way as Mahler or Messiaen - springs to life on every level.'
BBC Music Magazine

Per Nørgård
(Denmark, b.1932)

'Performances are full of energy and clarity and the recordings serve them excellently.'
BBC Music Magazine

Lennox Berkeley
(England, 1903-1989)

Michael Berkeley
(England, b. 1948)

Performance ****
Sound Quality *****
BBC Music Magazine

Frank Bridge
(England, 1879-1941)

Best performance available of The Sea
Performance ****
Sound Quality ****
BBC Music Magazine

Johann Baptist Cramer
(Germany, 1771-1858)

'And it would be hard to imagine a more colourful, sympathetic advocate than Howard Shelley.'
BBC Music Magazine

'Howard Shelley plays with dazzling brilliance throughout...'
The Guardian

Johann Nepomuk Hummel
(Austria, 1778 - 1837)

'It is astonishing that such fine pieces have been so completely neglected. They here inspire Hickox and his team to performances just as electrifying as those they have given of the great series of late Haydn masses.'
The Guardian 'Classical CD of the Week

Giacomo Puccini
(Italy, 1858-1924)

'The glory of the new Chandos set is not just the spectacular wide-ranging sound, bringing out details never heard before, but the singing of Jane Eaglen in the title role.'
The Guardian

Serge Prokofiev
(USSR, 1891-1953)

'The then young Mark Ermler, who died earlier this year [2002], conducts a commendably full-bloodied account.'
Gramophone

CHAN 9985

Critic's Choice
Gramophone
Mary Berry
CHAN 0677 Palestrina
David Fanning
CHAN 9986 Karlowicz

Sergey Ivanovich Taneyev
(Russia 1856-1915)

'This is a striking, and very well-recorded pair of performances, well worth the attention of lovers of Russian music who have not yet encountered the works.'
Gramophone

Alban Berg
(Austria, 1885-1935)

'The Lyric Suite is among the crowning works of modern quartet literature, and the Schoenberg Quartet has the measure of its diverse moods and twin-track trajectory of increasing dynamism and emotional intensity'
Gramophone

Ernest Bloch
(Switzerland/USA, 1880-1959)

'Margaret Fingerhut is a sensitive advocate, and is especially convincing in the more exotic miniatures…'
Gramophone

Lennox Berkeley
(England, 1903-1989)

Michael Berkeley
(England, b. 1948)

'…Richard Hickox and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales give powerfully committed performances, warmly and fully recorded.'
Gramophone (on CHAN 9981 and CHAN 10022)

'This is another triumph for Chandos' Brian and Ralph Couzens'
Fanfare (on CHAN 9981)

Ralph Vaughan Williams
(England, 1872-1958)

'Rumon Gamba's performances are excellent and the fine sound is exactly what one anticipates from this Manchester BBC venue.'
Hi-FI News 'Record of the Month'

'Rumon Gamba secures exemplary results from his assembled forces… and the recording is spectacularly truthful to match. I'm already impatiently awaiting Volume 2.'
Gramophone

'…a full-blooded performance by the BBC Phil on cracking form.'
Classic FM Magazine

Matthijs Vermeulen
(The Netherlands, 1888-1967)

'He is undoubtedly a fascinating and arresting one-off… I foresee a Vermeulen cult developing rather rapidly.'
Gramophone

'This is plainly a most important release, and I urge you to make its acquaintance as soon as you can. Urgently recommended.'
Fanfare

Johann Nepomuk Hummel
(Austria, 1778 - 1837)

'Unjustly neglected works enjoy superb advocacy under Richard Hickox's baton.'
Gramophone 'Disc of the Month'

'Richard Hickox and his forces do the music proud.'
BBC Music Magazine

Giacomo Puccini
(Italy, 1858-1924)

'Eaglen is magnificent as Puccini's eponymous anti-heroine in a fine addition to the Opera in English series.'
Gramophone

George Frideric Handel
(Germany/England, 1685-1759)

'It is no mean feat that Yate's delightful performance of these suites provides a rewarding listening experience without a dull moment despite a total duration of over 70 minutes.'
BBC Music Magazine

François Couperin
(France, 1668-1773)

'The performances by the Purcell Quartet are marvellous… recommended without hesitation.'
Fanfare

George Frideric Handel
(Germany/England, 1685-1759)

'The allegros brim with energy, the adagios impress with their introspection, and the minuets dance gracefully into the ear.'
Fanfare

Tobias Picker
(b. 1954, USA)

'…Thérèse Raquin is one of the more promising new operas to come my way during the past few years'
Fanfare

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(Austria 1756-1792)

'I hope I have conveyed my enthusiasm for this set… this is certainly one of the opera's most successful recordings.'
Fanfare

Nicolas Nabokov
(b Belorussia, 1903; d New York, 1978)

'Valeri Polyansky leads a vivid performance of both works ably abetted by some fine singing from the Russian State Symphonic Cappella.'
Fanfare

Gyorgy Ligeti
(Hungary/Austria, b. 1923)
Johannes Brahms
(Germany, 1833-1897)

'…this new Chandos version is clearly the one to have…'
Fanfare

Serge Prokofiev
(USSR, 1891-1953)

'With its subtle understanding of the interplay between soloist and orchestra, and among sections of the orchestra, this recording is a wonderful addition to the Prokofiev catalogue.'
Fanfare

Mark Anthony Turnage
(England, b. 1960)

'Exciting and challenging.'
The Independent

'Slatkin is clearly enjoying himself and soloists and orchestra come together to provide one of the most vivacious CDs to be released in a long time.'
Observer

Frank Bridge
(England, 1879-1941)

'The chief work here is the suite The Sea, full of colour and drama, while there's a rarity in the shape of the premiere recording of the Dance Rhapsody of 1908. Excellent recording.'
The Independent

Johann Baptist Cramer
(Germany, 1771-1858)

'These amiable works cry out for the most scintillating pianism. Which is just what they get from Howard Shelley who throws off cascades of octaves and double thirds with glittering panache, and brings real vocal eloquence to the lyrical melodies.'
The Telegraph