Handel: Atalanta: Overture

“This charming disc contains some of the most imaginative and polished trumpet playing you're ever likely to hear...Born-again authenticists may cavil at Balsom's vented trumpet, a modern development aiding intonation. But her flexible tuning, scrupulously focused to blend with the harmony, is a relief from the compromised tuning needed to play certain notes on true 18th-century instruments.” BBC Music Magazine, January 2013 *****

“when the instrument is played as fluidly agreeably as it is here, nobody could doubt that it is the right tool for the job...And it all works. This is rattling good music, and so easily does the trumpet fit into it that often it is hard to recall what the original scorings were anyway. Balsom, too, sounds utterly at home...and [is] wonderfully backed by the English Concert and the bright natural musicianship of Trevor Pinnock” Gramophone Magazine, December 2012

“Up at the top of her range, or down below, fast or slow, she is in superb control and form...the lightness of the string accompaniments, the calm attention to springy rhythms, the unobtrusive sensitivity of the phrasing, all done without exaggerated emphasis or anachronistic flamboyance, are a sheer delight...[Pinnock] is surely a national treasure” International Record Review, December 2012

“the music-making is a joy from beginning to end. Alison Balsom’s playing is stunning. The tone and intonation are fabulous; the lip trills, ornaments and runs simply staggering. How she achieves this level of technical assurance on an instrument without valves is remarkable...Crowe’s rendition of The Plaint from Purcell’s The Fairy Queen is sensitively and beautifully sung and it’s obvious that there’s an equal musical partnership captured here” MusicWeb International, April 2013

“Her distinctive tone remains clearly recognisable, despite the instrument's limitations. The timbre is sweeter, less aggressively strident than that of the modern trumpet, and she’s paired with Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert, providing crisp, bouncy support.” The Arts Desk, 1st December 2012

“For historical accuracy, she plays the valve-less “natural” trumpet: it really does appear to offer a more direct access to the human voice, a quality confirmed when she duets with countertenor Iestyn Davies” The Independent, 13th October 2012 ****

“The music is glorious; so is Balsom’s artistry as she weaves a flawless path alongside Trevor Pinnock’s English Concert” The Times, 19th October 2012 ***

“‘It is difficult to pick out a particular highlight, there are so many of them’ (Classic CD) ‘A splendidly enjoyable disc. Kirkby is in top-notch form’ (Hi-Fi News) ‘This CD is appealing on every plane. It’s certainly one of my discs for 1997’ (Gramophone) ‘Right on cue for the bull market in Handel operatic stock, The Rival Queens conquer all before them. A right royal feast!’ (Classic CD) ‘The voices contrast well, and their owners, as well as The Brandenburg Consort, perform this wonderful music with style and an intense sense of affection’ (BBC Music Magazine) ‘Immensely enjoyable’ (Goldberg) ‘A delight … this is singing of brilliance’ (Fanfare, USA) ‘Kirkby’s talent for matching brilliant coloratura with dramatic urgency remains unparalleled … a compelling interpretation of rarely heard masterpieces, this recording is the ideal present for anyone open to Handel’s dramatic compositions” International Record Review