These vignettes are touching... and spring from a love affair... most are full of strong poetic feeling and beauty of melodic line... 'An erotic diary for piano' (Gerald Abraham)... played with great sensitivity and subtlety... haunting music, fine pianism (Penguin Guide).

A 70 minute selection of Lyric Pieces. Pletnev's highly acclaimed mid 1980s performance. "This masterly recital... contains playing of great poetic feeling and sensibility. Bell-Ringing has a remarkable range of color and dynamics... there are many (other) individual insights... nothing is routine, and there is a concentration that gives these miniatures a freshness and depth that few artists can match" (Penguin Guide - 3 stars).

All the great reviewing publications, Penguin Guide, Gramophone, International Record Review, gave this release a rapturous reception when first issued. The atmoshpere of a great occasion is caught admirably with impressive timpani and organ, and a special mention for the final Chorus Mysticus bringing a real sense of gravitas and uplift. The massed voices are wonderfully hushed. Outstanding.

Davis... magnificently crowns his whole career as a Berlioz interpreter, generally outshining even his pioneer version of 30 years earlier... Petra Lang is superb, firm, rich and intense, investing every phrase with emotional power, instantly establishing her dominance... Ben Heppner excels himself (Penguin Guide ROSETTE). Gramophone Awards' Best Opera; Academie Charles Cros' Grand Prix du Disc, Opera News' Recordings of the Year; Grammy Opera of the Year Award 2001

(in the year before Dr. Walter's own death.. his friend Mahler's own 9th symphony) "he unerringly builds up consistent structure, controlling tempo closely... middle movements are sharply focussed, and the finale tough and stoically strong" (3 stars) (4th) "sound has attractively vivid detail, naturally glowing... everything Reiner does sounds spontaneous... Viennese influence strong... slow movement striking intensity... Lisa della Casa in ravishing voice" (both Penguin Guide)

(Guitar) "Yepes' cadenza is as clean and bright as a new pin, and his rapid repeated-note finish is fantastic." "I am coming to regard the Fantasia para un gentilhombre with it's gracious nobility and baroque feeling as a masterpiece to match the more famous Concierto de Aranjuez." (Harp): "Zabaleta plays most beautifully and the recording is immaculate." (Gramophone)

Regarding this performance of the 7th Symphony, The Sunday Times remarked; "This beautiful performance deserves to win many new friends for Dvorak's most Brahmsian symphony. Davis's love of this music shines out of every bar culminating in a towering account of the finale, which unlike many, here emerges as a fully satisfying conclusion" With reference to the 8th symphony, BBC Music Magazine applauded this performance; "More successfully than any other recording, Davis captures the slow movement's elusive heart of darkness." BBC Radio 3 1st Choice Recording.

Tirimo is a fine pianist with first-rate technical command, and understands Debussy's world well. (Gramophone). "Probably first choice for those wanting a modern digital recording offering the complete set... recording most realistic and natural." (Penguin Guide). "A most enjoyable recital, and one for which listeners will be grateful... What is Impressive is the pianist's integration of fragility and firmness, simplicity and complexity." (Gramophone). "I'm glad to be able to praise a fluid but unhurried Jeux d'eau that is well served, too, by the velvety-rich recorded sound... it 's attractive. So are the Sonatine, and the tenderly solemn Pavane pour une infante defunte." (Gramophone). "Dickinson made Satie's music a center point of his repertoire, and his thoughtful approach to this highly rewarding music is all his own... variety of articulation and color is fully at the service of the composer." (Penguin Guide).