Robert Schumann

“Clarity is a given with this particular band (their coupling of Symphonies Nos2 and 4 has already proved that) and here the same impressions of transparency, watertight ensemble, dovetailed phrasing and buoyant rhythms pertain.” Gramophone Magazine, May 2008

“To call a performance 'well made' might seem like a half-hearted compliment but in the case of Thomas Dausgaard's account of the Spring Symphony it's only part of the story, albeit a very important part. Clarity is a given with this particular band and here the same impressions of transparency, watertight ensemble, dovetailed phrasing and buoyant rhythms pertain.
The first movement is kept on its toes and 'in tempo', and likewise the Scherzo where the Trios are skilfully integrated into the rest of the movement, the first of them opening, unusually, to a gently brushed legato. The Larghetto is streamlined without sounding cold, the important horn and pizzicato string parts always crystal-clear, whereas the finale's prime virtue is its judicious pacing, especially the idyllic horn passage just after the halfway point, and the symphony's closing pages, which are thrillingly played.
Dausgaard's understanding of tempo relations is even better demonstrated in the Zwickau movement of an early G minor symphony.
There are reminders of early Schubert and Bruckner in that rays of light are crossed with moments of darkness, for example the unresolved bassoon motif that closes the exposition, very imaginative (and unsettling), and so is the return of the stern introduction towards the end of the movement.
The Mendelssohnian Overture, Scherzo andFinale is again beautifully shaped, the introduction unusually pensive, the ensuing Allegro full of life, the Scherzo crisp but unhurried. The two relatively late overtures again benefit from smaller-than-usual orchestral forces and perceptive direction, Dausgaard generating bags of energy while allowing textures to breathe. So all we need now is an equally compelling Rhenish Symphony to round off the cycle. The recorded sound is superb.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Right from the opening fanfares, there's a sense of joy and exhilaration, and the openness of the orchestral textures brings freshness and clarity. The ensemble’s lithe flexibility is used to the full by Dausgaard, whose instincts on tempo are persuasive, and the dramatic tension underpinning the work isn't allowed to evaporate.” Andrew McGregor, bbc.co.uk, 7th March 2008

“Fiornetino's rapport with Schumann is in no doubt in the masterly recital. Listen to the marvellous way he can spin a melodic line at speed in No 3 of the Symphonic Etudes… all of which are played with a masterly array of colour, touch and inflection.” Gramophone Magazine, April 2008

“Best known as a Metropolitan diva in Verdi, Puccini ad Ponchielli roles, the Croatian soprano is captured rather late here in the song repertoire, including some of her native folk songs.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2008 ***

“This series of recordings from more than a century ago is remarkable: actual performances recorded on mechanical reproducing pianos, preserved on piano rolls, and re-presented on a new concert grand, with digital sound. And this Polish-American pianist was one of the greatest virtuosi of his age, as these pieces of Liszt, Chopin, and Schumann testify” The Independent, February 2008