SACDs - Mendelssohn

“we hear the [Octet] in all its fascinating detail, yet, with an overall sound that's finely blended...with splendid solo playing [in the Concerto], the result here is certainly exciting, and you may agree with me that the Concerto benefits from such creative engagement.” Gramophone Magazine, June 2013

“What a superb group of musicians!...The eight strings of the Australian Chamber Orchestra play with finesse and vitality such that they fear no comparisons with the competition, even the most prestigious.” MusicWeb International, April 2013

“For a 35-minute work by a 14-year-old, this concerto is extraordinary — not especially memorable, maybe, but amazingly fluent and full of brilliant textures, which Tognetti and Leschenko make the most of in this spirited performance” Sunday Times, 21st April 2013

“Initially I was not entirely convinced by the modern copy of an 1830 Pleyel...But soon I was relishing the clarity and sheer beauty of the sound and, for the most part, of Ronald Brautigam playing. He is, without any doubt, one of the finest pianists around, and his despatch of Mendelssohn's fastest pieces is thrilling.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2013 ****

“a rare opportunity to hear some of the composer's most beloved works as he might have heard them...There is, of course, much to savour and admire...but I miss the modern grand piano's sustained, singing tone” Gramophone Magazine, March 2013

“Ronald Brautigam’s Mendelssohn is so good it’s easy not to notice how good it is. That is, this playing feels so natural, so effortless, so perfectly songlike (cantabile!) that it’s tempting to think, “why wouldn’t the music sound like this?” ..This Mendelssohn breathes like a living thing...If you don’t think a fortepiano can sing, think again. A superb recital.” MusicWeb International, April 2013

“These performances turn out to be the exact opposite anyone might expect from Klemperer… I like the opening tempo of the “Italian” enormously … the final Saltarello goes with great zest, the recording has excellent soft playing and the performance is everywhere very good.” Gramophone Magazine

“…The three superb musicians on this new recording, all in their twenties, face the hefty competition easily by playing with an irresistible spontaneity. They approach these works as interior high dramas; contested between melancholy and ecstasy…they play with an unassailable precision.” Alan Kozinn, The New York Times

“It's good to hear these great works played with full ardour by such a talented group of young musicians.” BBC Music Magazine, October 2006 ****

“Chamber music with star players doesn't always work: lack of rehearsal time or oversized egos can often lead to performances high on surface glitz but low on understanding. Not here though: these young artists, already making waves in their individual careers, give us a recording of Mendelssohn's delectable piano trios that sparkles and fizzes from the outset.
The opening of the D minor Trio No 1 is a touch simpler than the Florestan's recent acclaimed reading but its urgency sweeps you along. They are particularly fine in the scherzi of both trios, with delightful portamenti in the D minor which seem to say 'look how easy this is'. In the finale, the new trio set off at a dancing pace; the Florestan are a touch steadier, which makes for an even more explosive contrast as the movement hots up.
The C minor Trio has long lived in the shadow of the D minor. It's darker, slower to reveal its secrets. The new version fully captures its ruggedness, the way that melodies are hewn from the musical material, rather than simply emerging complete as in No 1. The only real quibble is their spacious tempo for the second movement, a Venetian gondola song in all but name. It's played with great tenderness but does seem rather over-extended.
All in all, this new recording is irresistible, with the three players caught in a wholly natural ambience. It's always a good sign when you don't want to stop playing a disc long enough to write about it.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“…these young artists, already making waves in their individual careers, give us a recording of Mendelssohn's delectable piano trios that sparkles and fizzes from the outset. They are particularly fine in the scherzi of both trios, with delightful portamenti in the D minor which seem to say "look how easy this is".” Gramophone Magazine, October 2006