Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves

“William Boughton imparts tremendous zest to VW's Wasps Overture, fully in keeping with its breezy nature, and he gives the big central tune its true nobility. Michael Bochmann, I note, was a pupil of the late Frederick Grinke, whose recording of The lark ascending must have introduced this ravishing piece to many readers of GRAMOPHONE, as it did to me. Bochmann plays it like his teacher, with unaffected ease and a natural appreciation of its poetry. His tone is pure and steady, even at the stratospheric height to which the lark takes him. The recording has the customary Nimbus fidelity.” Gramophone Magazine, February 1990

“Character is one thing that Boughton’s performances could not be accused of wanting. The two works, recorded earlier, which include wind instruments have plenty of individuality...[In The Lark] Michael Bochmann is set slightly back in the recorded acoustic. This lends his playing a nicely distanced romantic quality but the resulting sound is a bit thin for music which we are used to hearing with a more romantic ardour.” Musicweb International, August 2012

“Beulah's star release has Anthony Collins conduct a programme of "British" music. Rarely have I encountered a more sensitively nuanced reading of Vaughan Williams Tallis Fantasia, with some beautifully judged perspectives, or more luminously played Delius...The transfers are first rate.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2008

“Firstly, the programme of this CD is a near perfect introduction to the pleasures of British music...and secondly, the performance of some of these works is eye-opening to say the least...what makes it a fantastic disc is the sheer beauty of the sound, the attention to detail and the depth of engendered emotion - especially in the Delius.” MusicWeb International