‘Mäkelä has achieved something very special here, bringing freshness to music that has been recorded many times and by many of the conducting greats. He is a conductor who builds a strong relationship with works through performance before recording them, and the benefits of this approach are strongly in evidence. The players of the Oslo Philharmonic respond with faultless technical and musical skill, and the Decca engineers have lived up to their reputation for achieving outstanding sound quality, with a dynamic range and soundstage that are essential to this music. I hope that Mäkelä goes on to complete a full Shostakovich cycle, given that he clearly has something to say in this music. On this evidence, it would become a cornerstone of the catalogue’ (Presto Classical)

„Ausgewählt hat man geistliche und weltliche Meisterwerke nicht nur aus der Feder franko-flämischer Größen wie Antoine Brumel, Nicolas Gombert und Jean Mouton. Darunter finden sich gleichermaßen berühmte Abschieds- und Trauergesänge wie Josquin des Prez’ „Mille regretz“ sowie Trouvaillen wie Antoine Févins „Fors seulement“. Und den Bogen ins Hier und Jetzt schlägt man u.a. mit sechsstimmigen Gebeten von Owain Park sowie Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade, die sich mit ihrem magischen Pathos nahtlos in dieses Programm einfügen“ (Rondo, Germany)» More

‘The account of the Sixth Symphony is beautifully controlled and paced, the Oslo strings radiant as the first movement steadily intensifies, the woodwind fabulously agile in the scherzo second, and the finale a joyous, witty romp’ (The Guardian)

‘I have only heard two of the nine discs which the all-male group The Gesualdo Six have recorded for Hyperion. I have been missing out on very fine singing … the performances are immaculate, sensitive, committed and moving. I do not hesitate to recommend the disc to those who love wonderful vocal ensembles’ (MusicWeb International)

‘Rushdie Momen certainly harnesses the mellowness of the modern piano to bring out the beauty of each of the works … a thoughtful and illuminating effort, and perhaps a great gateway for those less familiar with this genre’ (The Classic Review)

‘In every way, this is a glorious account of Schubert’s late string quartet masterpiece … credit for these performances must also go to the sound, stunningly recorded at Wyastone Estate. The instruments have the necessary bloom, while the acoustic demonstrates clarity and warmth. With [Richard] Wigmore’s exemplary discussion of the works and Hyperion’s usual production quality, this new disc of the quartets goes straight to the top of my list of Schubert quartet recordings’ (MusicWeb International)

‘While The Gesualdo Six’s ninth album has nothing to do with Lewis Carroll’s Queen of Hearts, it does take us, like Carroll’s other famous character Alice, down a fascinating rabbit hole … throughout, warm vocal blend and a sense of shared artistic intimacy underline the exquisitely plangent programming … such heart-rending singing would surely have moved even Carroll’s Queen of Hearts to spare a few heads’ (Limelight, Australia)» More

‘It’s a daring debut solo recital disc that opens with the Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen. But that bravery pays off when you have mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina in the title-role … a very special album. This is an already vastly accomplished singer to listen out for in the years to come!’ (The Europadisc Review)

„Insgesamt verbindet das Ensemble auf selbstverständliche Weise seine klangliche Größe mit dem erstaunlichen Eindruck von Intimität, fast den Vorzügen eines im solistischen Sinne besetzten Ensembles entsprechend. Besonders Peter Phillips scheint diese beiden Ideale in seinem Dirigat miteinander zu versöhnen. Ergebnis ist eine durchgehend strömende Intensität von großer Klarheit, ein betörend schönes Klangereignis“ (Klassik.com, Germany)» More

‘[Reinecke] As before, Callaghan’s playing lacks nothing in conviction and panache, and he grabs the ears from the very first bars … [Sauer] Is the result structurally convincing? Not entirely. Does it entertain? Absolutely, especially when Callaghan and the orchestra join forces with such obvious enjoyment and glee. All in all, followers of Hyperion’s series should listen without hesitation’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More

‘Ever since Aigul Akhmetshina made a white-hot guest-appearance in the final scene from Carmen on Freddie De Tommaso’s Il Tenore, I’ve been hoping for a full-length operatic recital from the charismatic young Bashkir mezzo—and Decca delivers the goods today with her self-titled debut album, featuring vivid snapshots of some of the roles which have featured prominently in her career to date … it’s already evident from the little flourishes in the Seguidilla that this is a voice which moves freely, and arias from Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia and La Cenerentola showcase her agility and range in all its glory’ (Presto Classical)

‘This, her first recital recording, is all about voice, voice, voice. Some operatic voices do not respond well to the recording process, but Akhmetshina sounds as gloriously full-voiced from high to low as she does in the opera house … in Italian opera, she offers a deeply felt Romeo in Bellini’s I Capuleti e I Montecchi and shows how impressively her large voice can scamper through the coloratura in two Rossini operas, La Cenerentola and Il barbiere di Siviglia. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Daniele Rustioni … offer top-quality support’ (Financial Times)