‘Now on three CDs, these five long-unavailable LPs recorded between 1958 and 1960, and issued only in the US, were made for the short-lived Kapp label. They are something of a holy grail among devoted pianophiles. In fact, I had heard so much about Ann Schein’s 1960 recording of Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto that I went straight to that, the final three tracks on disc 3. I have to say that if this performance had been made for a major international label at the time (Decca, HMV, RCA) it would never have left the catalogue. It is quite marvellous … the playing throughout is of the most exalted kind and includes, for this reviewer, the most persuasive account of Chopin’s Polonaise-fantaisie he has ever heard, together with a selection of Chopin Études recorded the previous year that stand with the best … this valuable reissue is topped off with a superlative booklet from Jonathan Summers. Were there still a category for historic recordings, this would be a shoo-in for a Gramophone Award. Once more pianophiles are in the debt of APR’s Mike Spring. Ann Schein was reportedly delighted when told these recordings were to be given a new lease of life. Sadly, only a few days before a copy could reach her, news arrived of her sudden death at the age of 87’ (Gramophone)

‘The Queen’s Six, now in their refreshed line‑up with altos Elisabeth Paul and Tom Lilburn replacing the original countertenors, bring to this repertoire the seamless blend you’d expect from singers who share not merely a concert platform but a postcode within Windsor Castle’s walls. Indeed, their daily proximity to the Chapel Royal tradition lends these performances an unforced liturgical gravity … the ensemble’s account of Byrd’s Cunctis diebus—that great motet of interior exile, with its sudden homophonic outcry at ‘Dimitte me’, at once desperate and vast—is tremendously affecting, the harmonic shifts navigated with the sureness of singers who know this idiom from the inside … booklet notes are exemplary, as is the recorded sound. A fine release worthy of our own troubled times

’ (Gramophone)

‘The mood is sustained, consistent and unruffled by contrast: meditative classical, posh chill-out. Thing is, it’s also absolutely beautiful singing, and taken on its own terms this is the launch of a serious ensemble’ (Gramophone)

‘More secular music than their previous albums, a programme that they tell us emerged from their first tour outside the walls of the Cambridge chapels where they were first performing together over a decade ago. Renaissance pieces to contemporary composers, arrangements of traditional folksongs woven throughout—it’s a delight’ (BBC Record Review)

‘Fascinating listening, especially in the hands of the forthright and luminous Amsterdam Piano Trio’ (The Times)» More

‘What comes through most clearly when listening to the baritone-composer’s new arrangement of Die schöne Müllerin is the affection and respect that lies behind it … Williams’s ear for texture—and the Carducci Quartet’s warm playing—brings rewards’ (Gramophone)

‘This is such elegant, sensitive playing … truly, these two are a heaven-made Beethoven match … Watkins and Bax have embraced Beethoven’s fire and storms, but also found beauty and balance that others miss. Certainly it feels as though a new Beethoven cello sonatas benchmark has landed. Or at the very least, I’m not sure that I’ve ever personally enjoyed a set so much’ (Gramophone)

‘A golden moment, here, in the career of Lise Davidsen … the programme is a crowd-pleaser in the best sense’ (Gramophone)

‘Hyperion's The Romantic Piano Concerto series is one of a kind, featuring 235 works for piano and orchestra, many of them rarely heard, extending beyond the well-loved yet typical selection of repertoire we might expect from a collection like this. Remarkably, 121 recordings are premieres, with many others having only been recorded once prior. The 1991-2007 edition gathers an outstanding roster of 19 pianists (including Howard Shelley, the first pianist to record for Hyperion in 1988), 21 conductors and 14 orchestras, performing works by 59 composers. Beautifully presented with comprehensive booklet notes, this is the monumental first half of an exciting project, the second of which is set to be issued in 2027’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘These musicians cannot put a foot wrong, either technically or musically. The voices remain fresh and interesting throughout … of the other works presented here the most substantial are the two psalm-motets Cantate Domino and Miserere mei, Deus, both presented with a fully convincing sense of their form and grand design … the recording comes with a highly original booklet note by Grantley McDonald, which reveals a truly awesome account of the composer’s unpaid debts throughout his life’ (Gramophone)

‘This is a fine showcase for the string music of the Australian composer Carl Vine, given by several of his close collaborators … a cornucopia of arresting ideas … an album of constantly inventive music, beautifully played. The recording has excellent balance and clarity’ (The Strad)

‘A fascinating portrait of a composer who produces music of undoubted appeal and expressive focus. Well worth investigating’ (Gramophone)