8.557770 Tallis: Spem in Alium

“To mark the 500^th anniversary of the birth of Tallis, here are his biggest and best church compositions, performed in its customary high style by the Oxford Camerata under Jeremy Summerly.” Anthony Holden, The Observer, 12/06/05

“These performances are beautifully balanced and blended and wonderfully spacious.” Stephen Pettitt, Evening Standard, 10/06/05

8.557627 Stainer; The Crucifixion

“Here the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, excel themselves with their inspired rendition.” Daily Express, 10/06/05

“This is a clear, meticulous, tasteful performance of a work which in itself does not instantly call to mind any of these adjectives. The choral sound is fresh and well balanced, the style carefully attentive to detail, directed always with intelligence.” John Steane, The Gramophone, July 2005

8.557672 Penny Merriments

“Douglas Wootton dramatises this bawdily rollicking ditty to perfection, down to the last nudge and wink. Indeed, all the performers enter into the spirit of the songs with a rumbustious relish that makes this disc terrific value, in every sense.” Elizabeth Roche, The Daily Telegraph, 25/06/05

8.557222 Britten: Folk Song Arrangements

“Graham Johnson, tutored by the composer, is an ideal accompanist, with Philip Langridge and Felicity Lott bringing freshness to such old favourites as The Foggy Dew and The Plough Boy.” Edward Greenfield, The Guardian, 24/06/05

8.557331 Zemlinsky: Piano Music

“Silke Avenhaus makes a good case for these pieces.” Andrew Clements, The Guardian, 24/06/05

8.660152-54 Wagner: Tristan and Isolde

“Surprisingly, though, this recording can hold its head high in exalted company, and of course it’s at a bargain price.” Ivan Hewett, The Times, 04/06/05

“Conductor Leif Segerstam approaches the score with urgency, laying bare its neurotic essence.” Tim Ashley, The Guardian, 10/06/05

8.557720 Dyson: Symphony in G major

“All three works are superbly played by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under David Lloyd-Jones, and vividly recorded.” Edward Greenfield, The Gramophone, July 2005

8.557380-81 Haydn: Die Schöpfung 

“Korean soprano Sunhae Im catches the radiant innocence of her music as delightfully as anyone on disc, and with Hanno Müller-Brachmann’s Adam makes the bouncy final duet sound even more than usual like Mozart’s Papagena and Papageno. The tenor, though less distinctive, is always personable and sensitive. In sum, a terrific bargain that has you marvelling anew at Haydn’s sublime, joyous Arcadian vision.” Richard Wigmore, The Daily Telegraph, 04/06/05

8.557397 Maxwell Davies: Naxos Quartets Nos. 3 & 4

“This is mature music full of emotional power, intellectual rigour and fascinating aural perspectives, especially in its quieter moments. The immediacy and understanding of this wonderful ensemble [the Maggini Quartet], expressed by tonal richness, perfect technique and musical sensitivity of the highest order, pulls one into Maxwell Davies’s difficult music with an almost hypnotic force. Irresistible.” David Hart, Birmingham Post, 16/06/05

8.557412 The Geese Book

“This may well be archaeology, but it’s still a fascinating insight into what was going on musically in Germany at the end of the Middle Ages.” Andrew Clements, The Guardian, 03/06/05

“Schola Hungarica brings to life the music as heard in the time of the city’s most famous resident, Albrecht Dürer.” Andrew Clarke, The Independent, 18/06/05

8.557280-81 Bach: Solo Cello Suites

“Her [Maria Kliegel’s] interpretations are bold, muscly and unpredictable, clearly intent on blowing a few cobwebs from these venerable works and making sure the listener does not miss a trick.” Lindsay Kemp, The Gramophone, July 2005

8.555722 Weiss Lute Sonatas Vol. 6

“Barto gives first-class performances on a beautifully recorded period lute. With such enjoyable music this disc and series is well worth exploring, for Weiss is highly inventive.” Ivan March, The Gramophone, July 2005

8.557480 Rawsthorne: Symphonies Nos. 1-3

“The BSO and Lloyd-Jones do them real justice.” Robert Beale, Manchester Evening News, 3/06/05

8.557592 Bax: Piano Sonatas Nos. 3 & 4

“Ashley Wass’s Bax cycle looks set to become the yardstick against which all future recordings will be judged. In these sensitive and tonally alluring performances Bax’s elusive sound world is revealed as only rarely before.” Julian Haylock, Classic FM Magazine, July 2005

8.557433 Bartok: The Miraculous Mandarin

“Bartok’s strange and supernatural tale of entrapment, robbery and murder is graphically interpreted with Alsop demonstrating her customary command of pace and dynamics and her ability to inject vitality into a performance, a gift she shares with her mentor, the late Leonard Bernstein.” Jim Love, Inverness Courier, 3/06/05

8.559254 Schuman: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 9

“Both [symphonies are] inspired by the horrors of war and given stream-lined performances by a highly proficient Seattle Symphony under Gerard Schwarz.” Rob Cowan, The Independent, 7/06/05

8.559249 Bolcom: Songs

“With Bolcom’s own excellent accompaniment, this collection makes for an intriguing listen.” Warwick Thompson, Metro London, 13/06/05

“Overall this is a fascinating collection from one of the most individual American composers around who should not be forgotten in the minimalist onslaught. Full texts of songs are an asset, it’s vividly recorded and is delivered with effervescent enthusiasm by both performers.” Peter Dickinson, The Gramophone, July 2005

8.559417 Toch: Cantata of the Bitter Herbs

“This performance, given in the Rudolfinum in Prague in 2000, catches the work’s many nuances and the ardent vocal soloists give a good account of themselves.” Guy Rickards, The Gramophone, July 2005

8.559213 Chadwick: Symphony No. 2

“Theodore Kuchar and the National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine capture the music’s buoyancy brilliantly, directly challenging Neeme Järvi’s reading of the Symphony and Symphonic Sketches and, to these ears, bettering the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on all counts.” Ken Smith, The Gramophone, July 2005

8.111081 Songs of the British Isles

“Naxos engineer Mark Overt-Thorn deserves undying gratitude for his work in producing this disc, the contents of which provided mainstays of Decca’s catalogue for over half a century. A super bargain.” Andrew Stewart, Classic FM Magazine, July 2005