Stephen Varcoe

“The medium-scale 1893 version of Fauré's spiritual masterpiece finds a loving advocate in John Rutter, with excellent soloists and a lucid-toned choir.” BBC Music Magazine

“Faure's Requiem has received many fine recordings, but John Rutter's inspired reconstruction of the original 1893 score, using only lower strings and no woodwind, opened our ears to the extra freshness of the composer's first thoughts.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition

“...this vividly scored piece of theatre [BWV21] places both voices and a colourful instrumental group in urgent dialogue. We are drawn into this right from the opening Sinfonia...Among competing versions only Richter approaches Gardiner in his apposite sense of theatre.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2010 ****

“...here, again, it the spontaneous and committed response of Sir John Eliot Gardiner's musicians which dominates the majority of performances...Gardiner is the king of dramatic moment...As so often in the Pilgrimage, James Gilchrist stands out” Gramophone Magazine, June 2010

“The welcome return of what now seem rather special archive recordings of Finzi's great Hardy settings. Direct, unselfconscious and ever-sentient performances.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2009 ****

“Ich bin ein guter Hirt (BWV85)… conveys the delicate and subtle pastoral conceits of "Christ, the good shepherd" with endlessly alluring dialogues between on-form singers and instrumentalists, notably some disarmingly beautiful oboe playing, a performance of real distinction.” Gramophone Magazine, August 2007

“Each new arrival in John Eliot Gardiner’s massive Bach Cantata Pilgrimage series is still, unapologetically, worth trumpeting…Pure pleasure.” METRO

“The seven cantatas here, nominally representing the works for the two Sundays after Easter, cover an unusual range from No 150 to the dazzling maturity of three pastoral cantatas from three different cycles in Leipzig. As Gardiner reminds us in his entertaining diary, the Neue Kirche in Arnstadt is now named after its teenage protégé organist and it seems appropriate that the early cantata Nach dir, Herr, verlangenmich should appear at the very place in which it probably received its premiere. One observes the ostentation of youth where Bach rolls out his command of past and current musica lingua as an advertisement of his ability.
The performances from Arnstadt are generally fresh and satisfying, and in No 150 there is a real sense of occasion. There are significant challenges in the burly orchestral concerto movement which opens Am Abend (No 42) and its long meandering aria 'Wo zwei und drei', bravely negotiated by Daniel Taylor but which, for me, cries out for the embracing security of a fine mezzo or contralto. The bold Halt imGedächtnis (No 67) receives a committed reading but the extraordinarily dramatic scene with bass and chorus (where Christ brings peace and assurance to his ostracised disciples) fails to resonate with special moment.
The more durable performances come from Echternach in Luxembourg. Du Hirte Israel (No 104) is a gloriously poised work, unassuming on the surface and yet requiring the judgement to 'lift' each balletic movement without pushing the pace. Gardiner is only thwarted from hitting the spot by generally uneventful solo singing.
Ich bin ein guter Hirt (No 85), on the other hand, conveys the delicate and subtle pastoral conceits of 'Christ, the good shepherd' with endlessly alluring dialogues between on-form singers and instrumentalists, notably some disarmingly beautiful oboe playing, a performance of real distinction. The concise No 112 (following Psalm 23 to the letter) glows with the same ardour. It is indeed the second disc which establishes the longer-term credentials in this richly endowed and unique series.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

"Hickox is very, very good in this repertoire. Each tug at the heart-strings is brought off with taste and style." The Gramophone

‘Well worth exploring’ (BBC Music Magazine)

“Though overshadowed by his pupil Purcell, John Blow's church music is highly distinguished. Here are 14 of his richly scored anthems in skilful and idiomatic performances.” BBC Music Magazine, July 2006 ****

“…the final volume and jewel in the crown of Hyperion's completely Fauré songs. …all the singers involved in this glorious project, while not always in their first radiance and purity of voice, never lose their sense of poetic engagement and commitment. Graham Johnson, whether writing or playing, is magically attuned to every nuance of Fauré's universe; and Hyperion's sound and presentation are impeccable.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2005

“There's a high standard of singing throughout and… Geraldine McGreevy offers delicacy, shape and direction, combined with an intelligent variety of tone, and Christopher Maltman's more forthright approach gives impetus to 'Le voyageur' and 'Prison'. Though her tone is a touch mature, Jennifer Smith is able to draw on the warm colours of her voice for the late cycle Le jardin clos (1914), a sombre, understated piece that emphasises the oblique, unpredictable harmony of the composer's final period.” BBC Music Magazine, May 2005 ****

“Volume 2 of Hyperion's superb Fauré song series takes its theme from Clair de lune and an idealised landscape peopled with dreaming birds and sobbing fountains. It follows the composer from youth to old age, from the young charmer to the mature master to the inscrutable sage, imaginatively side-stepping all possible monotony.
Fauré's dream world is a mirror of an occasionally innocent nature that received too many cruel knocks, reflected in music of light and darkness, courage and despair. All the singers involved in this ideally presented and recorded offering perform with a special ardour and commitment; Graham Johnson is, as always, a matchless partner and commentator.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010