CRITICAL ACCLAIM

EAST OF BERLIN: Mussorgsky Pictures; Suda; Sokola; Ben-Haim – Florence Mustric, Von Beckerath Organ  MS1270
“Florence Mustric's version [of Pictures] provides a fresh spin on a piece originally for solo piano. Mustric's adaptation is a particularly spacious evocation of Mussorgsky miniatures, with all manner of expansive tempi allowing for time to dwell on details that may fly by in other versions. Even to ears accustomed to Ravel's wondrous spectrum of orchestral colours, the organ transcription has plenty of convincing and effective registrations. The instrument's grandeur is put to magnificent use in "The Great gate of Kiev". Mustric plays the Mussorgsky as if the work were born for organ. The recording's sound is excellent.”
Gramophone ~ June 2008

MUSIC OF BARBARA HARBACH: Chamber Music I – Ensemble Istropolis; Moyzes String Quartet  MS1253
"...the pieces here recorded are quite delightful. There is an open-air quality to these pieces...The scoring is transparent and the textures clear and bright..this music doesn’t sound like any composer I’ve ever heard, it is original in that respect. It is very well written and skillfully, and gratefully, scored for the various ensembles. The performances here are very assured...I am very pleased to have made Ms. Harbach’s acquaintance and want to hear more. It’s fine stuff, well deserving of a hearing.”
MusicWeb International ~ July 2008

“[Harbach's] style is unabashedly tonal and optimistic, attractive in uncomplicated fashion. Barbara Harbach's chamber music is melodic and well-crafted...this is attractive music and I look forward to exploring more. No complaints about the performances under Kirk Trevor, all of which provide worthy advocacy...”
Gramophone ~ July 2008

“A great deal of credit for the success of the music on [this record] goes to the conductor and the sound engineers. They have done their best to present the composer, who should someday-if there is any justice in the universe-become a household name. You have got to hear this woman's music if you're a fan of mid-century American romanticism. She brings something entirely new to the table.”
American Record Guide ~ March / April 2008

"Harbach has distinguished herself as one of the preeminent American composers of any generation. Her music is distinctly American, with clever folk elements that hint at Copland but are all uniquely her own. [this disc is] a testament to Harbach's versatilit; the works on this album are scored for an impressive assortment of instruments, from the traditional string quartet, brass and woodwind quintets, to larger ensembles featuring both strings, winds, and brass."
All Music Guide ~ December 2007

MUSIC OF BARBARA HARBACH: Chamber Music I – Ensemble Istropolis; Moyzes String Quartet  MS1252
"[Harbach is] a dead-on-heart-and-soul American romanticist in the Copland-Hanson-Harris mold...Harbach's music astonished me for its heavy reliance on the lyric and the beautifully (and cogently) framed melodic line. I could listen to her music for hours. This music is so uniquely characterized with its own sense of beauty that it makes me wonder where this woman has been all our lives. This is music that really needs to be heard."
American Record Guide ~ March / April 2008

BEYOND THE HORIZON – Adam Frey, euphonium; Paula Peace, piano  MS1249
"Adam Frey [is] perhaps the world's leading young euphonium player...[this disc] is a significant contribution to the euphonium world, presenting a number of new works that should become part of the standard recital repertory...ability to play technically difficult, slurred material with admirable evenness and precision. Excellent collaborative work by pianist Paula Peace."
Fanfare ~ March / April 2008

TAKING FLIGHT – Adam Frey, euphonium; NZSO / Hangen  MS1248
"Adam Frey is an expert euphonium player... Frey can get from the bottom to the top of the instrument lickety split. Endless streams of fast notes with no breath? No problem. In lyric material found on Taking Flight... Frey's tone is so fluid and pristine he almost sounds like he is playing a saxophone...Frey takes this bumpiest of instruments for a smooth ride throughout, and always comes in for a three-point landing."
All Music Guide ~  April 2008

"Adam Frey [is] perhaps the world's leading young euphonium player...[This album] makes it clear that his reputation is deserved. Frey shows a beautiful tone that is full yet crisp...fine interpretive instincts...amazing technique...Frey sounds terrific, and the New Zealand Symphony gives its all to the project."
Fanfare ~ March / April 2008

LIRICO LATINO: Songs for Solo Trumpet – James Ackley; Rebecca Wilt  MS1246
"Phrasing and interpretation are vital to a top-notch performance of the music on this recording, and Ackley, accompanied brilliantly by pianist Rebecca Wilt, more than meets the task...Ackley plays with a wonderful combination of sensitivity and fervor. Phrases ebb and flow, vibrato is controlled perfectly and without affect, and intensity is achieved without destroying the lyrical nature of these thoughtfully selected songs. Lirico Latino captures the imagination ..."
Kevin Scully, ITG Journal ~ January 2008

"All that is needed [here] is a beautiful tone and lots of heart, and Ackley has plenty of both. The Latin flavors are found in the piano parts, played by Rebecca Wilt with subtlety, ease, and flair."
American Record Guide ~ March / April 2007

ANNA BON DI VENEZIA: Six Harpsichord Sonatas, Op.2 – Barbara Harbach  MS1241
"Harbach utilizes a beautiful sounding Willard Martin instrument fashioned after a French double manual harpsichord built by François Blanchet; it suits the music perfectly, and Harbach intelligently works with the Martin's various registrations to keep the program overall varied in sound. Those who enjoy and appreciate eighteenth-century keyboard music will certainly not fail to treasure this MSR release."

All Music Guide ~ May 2008

PRESTIDIGITATIONS: Contemporary Concert Rags by J. L. Zaimont – American Ragtime Ensemble / David Reffkin  MS1238
"[Bubble-Up Rage is] probably the best new piece for flute and piano that I've heard in a long time...[Reflective Rag] is wistful, lyrical - a beautiful remembrance of ragtime that moves me...[Zaimont and Kosloff's performance of the Snazzy Sonata] is extraordinary for its verve and ensemble..."
American Record Guide ~ November / December 2007

"Judging from the music on this recording, Zaimont has not only brought the great rag music we know from the past into the twenty-first century, but she has created new music that will have a definite appeal...The disc is well presented, with authoritative notes and good processing. For me, this was a highly entertaining 57-plus minutes. It's a disc full of good music that will definitely put a an extra jump in your step!"
Classical Music Guide, June 2007

ROMANZA: Works for Trumpet, Bassoon & Orchestra – Guy Few; Nadina Mackie Jackson / McGegan MS1232
"Seductively and shimmeringly gorgeous…"

World Magazine ~ June 2008

GREGORY PARTAIN PIANO RECITAL – Rachmaninov, Scarlatti, Barnes, Beethoven  MS1231
"...suave and comfortable performances of three Rachmaninoff Preludes. He handles the B-flat's tumultuous left-hand figurations with ease and, in the polytextural central section, prepares an unusually protracted and supremely controlled ritard...a lively, vivacious [Scarlatti] A major sonata...Partain [has] superior fingerwork throughout Beethoven's Appassionata...[In the Brahms, the] tempo relationships and transition emerge in a seamless, cumulative arc. Appropriately, Partain's tone fills out and opens up: notice how he achieves a beautiful legato phrasing through fingers alone, scarcely touching the sustain pedal. "
Gramophone ~ December 2007

"...some of the best Scarlatti I've ever heard...13 minutes of stunning playing - crisp, clear, articulated, and phrased. There is balance and rhythmic vitality in every measure. Dare I say it, these approach the same level as Horowitz's legendary recordings...I enjoy Partain's performance very much [of the Brahms Variations]...I enjoyed a performance [of the Appassionata] that fully realizes the quote ["strong, intelligent, unshowy pianism'] "
American Record Guide ~ November / December 2007

"Gregory Partain is a gifted pianist, and every item is intelligently and sympathetically played. Partain's strengths show to best advantage in the group of Scarlatti Sonatas, especially the beautifully judged account of the pensive F minor, and in a thoughtful, sensitively shaped and expressive rendition of Brahms' rarely heard Original Theme variations, to which Partain imparts a cumulative power I have seldom heard brought out to such vivid effect. The recording is good." [Performance: 4 of 5 stars]
BBC Music Magazine ~ November  2007

"Gregory Partain demonstrates his ability to shift rapidly and deftly between greatly differing compositional styles. [In the] Rachmaninov preludes...Partain's exemplary skills in voicing the dense compositions [are demonstrated]. The melody clearly rises above the harmony and accompanimental figures almost as if it was being sung. Inner voices are remarkably well-articulated and there's no trace of over-pedaling. [In the] three sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti...Partain effortlessly shifts from the lush, emotive Rachmaninov to the crisp, energetic, and elegant figures of the Baroque. The A major Sonata contains passages of repeated notes that are executed with almost impossible speed and precision. The album culminates with a very satisfying rendition of Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata. All of his aforementioned attributes come together here — brilliant clarity, crisp articulation, and a magnificent sense of pacing... this album is an excellent introduction to an artist whose career should be watched with anticipation"
All Music Guide, October 2007

HAMPSON SISLER: THE COSMIC DIVIDE – NSO Ukraine / Leytush  MS1229
"...what results from the team-up [of Sisler and Leytush] is quite beautiful music and, in the case of the Four Impromptus a possible addition to the standard repertoire. It's a terrific piece of music based on hymn tunes and chorale themes. It has melodies Howard Hanson would die for. You should buy this just for this one work. The Cosmic Divide is a very listenable work...This man should be much better known than he is.."
American Record Guide ~ March / April 2007

THREE CENTURIES FOR FOUR BRASS – Metropolitan Brass Quartet  MS1228
"Originally released 25 years ago, this recording remains as gorgeous as it is revelatory. "
World Magazine ~ April 2008

"...this one is a gem. It is a pleasure to hear the MBQ's warm and round sound, superior intonation and blend, and easy way with difficult passages. "
American Record Guide ~ January / February 2008

"This is a very welcome reissue...It presents both 16th century and modern works for brass - all of them except possibly the Gabrieli being new to most ears. The Metropolitan Brass Quartet was an important part of the renaissance of brass chamber music...At a time when nearly all brass ensembles were quintets, the Metropolitan’s had a different sound which was modeled more on the string quartet and early choral polyphony."
Audiophile Audition ~ October 2007

BOLEN & DEVRIES PIANO DUO MS1227
"[Two pianists of one mind - drama delicacy and plenty of fun, too...a well-matched effort...[Bolen and DeVries'] reading of Brahms' Variations on a Theme By Haydn highlights the proper melodic and harmonic material at every turn...consistently propelled forward. A performance of Poulenc's Elegie finds their keyboard attack melding together to the point that they almost sound like a single pianist, delicately unfurling the work's quiet intensity in sync. Rachmaninov's Suite becomes a joyful jam session...these pianists [are] steeped in the composer's language. Milhaud's Scaramouche is a romp. Bolen and DeVries are on point throughout, avoiding overblown, speaker-buzzing thick textures."
Gramophone ~ June 2008

THE AMERICAN STRING PROJECT – Live at Benaroya Hall 2006  MS1226
"In the first movement of the Beethoven the targeted attacks of the sforzandos are particularly virtuosic. The minuet is perfectly poised and the last movement invigoratingly fleet. This remarkable performance [of the Shostakovich] has a compelling sweep that might well be envied by many a conventional string quartet. Three Sarasate pieces...[are] accomplished here with great elan. The technical values of this live performance recording are superb. Let's hope there will be more recordings from these imaginative, accomplished musicians."
Fanfare ~ May / June 2008

"[This is] the best string orchestral playing TC has heard in decades. Virtuosic not only in precision (parts of the Beethoven finale are reminiscent of Toscanini's recording of Paganini's Perpetual Motion with the entire first violin section of the NBC ) but in expressive nuances. If this group ever gets around to recording the standard string orchestra repertory...the results - if anything like the playing here - should be spectacular"
Turok's Choice ~ December 2007

"The American String Project... hums seamlessly through a program of Beethoven, Shostakovich and Sarasate, both intimate and virtuosic at once. The Beethoven enjoys a muscular, lithe realization under leader Eriko Sato. Forward motion is the order of the performance, and the two interior movements gain authority and girth in the arrangement. The dark, deep colors of the lower strings add a romantic ethos to Beethoven’s natural tendency to make C Minor a surging modality of expression. Leader Maria Larionoff shapes the massive Twelfth Quartet of Shostakovich, whose two-movement structure resembles Beethoven’s Op. 111 Piano Sonata. Like Barshai’s arrangement of the Eighth Quartet, Lieberman’s distribution of parts amplifies Shostakovich’s angular polyphony and sullen, martial pessimism."
Audiophile Audition ~ September 2007

THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL – Stephen J. Ketterer  MS1225
"The acoustics are remarkably good, and the organ certainly has the resources for this varied program...Ketterer plays with an appropriate sense of style...solo reeds are potent, the strings are quite nice, and the full ensemble well-balanced...Good recording by a very talented performer."
American Record Guide, September/October 2007

THOMAS BALTZAR: WORKS FOR UNACCOMPANIED VIOLIN – Patrick Wood  MS1224
"[Baltzar's] complete music for solo violin, excellently played by Patrick Wood, is impressive as well as historically important."
Turok's Choice ~ June 2008

"The pieces are...endowed with sophisticated turns of phrase and harmonic personality. Certainly the discernment and imagination Baltzar invested in his unaccompanied works were destined to provide curious violinists with ample technical challenges, as well as musical rewards. Patrick Wood ...makes a splendid case for Baltzar, playing the collection with graceful and fervent assurance. His sound is rich and nuanced, his command of the difficulties complete."
Gramophone ~ May 2008

"Wood's playing does great justice to Baltzar's works and speaks well of his exhaustive efforts to unearth them. His playing is very strong and muscular, much like Nathan Milstein's playing of Bach. Intonation is quite precise, and his voicing of the polyphonic texture of the music allows listeners to follow the melody easily as it wends its way through the range of the violin. ... this album is a welcome discovery of unheard solo violin music performed convincingly"
All Music Guide ~ March 2008

MARK ZUCKERMAN: NEW MUSIC FOR STRINGS – Seattle Sinfonia; Momenta Quartet  MS1223
"Zuckerman's works are...highly accessible; coupled with the detailed program notes, listeners are carefully guided through some very enjoyable musical metaphors. The Elegy for Victims of Terrorism, heard on this CD in both its string quartet and string orchestra versions, is quite moving and makes the album worthwhile on its own... Sound quality is appealing...and the ensembles are successful in guiding listeners through some of the more minimalistic components of the compositions."
All Music Guide, June 2007

THE DOUBLE BASS – Robert Oppelt & Friends  MS1221
"The present CD is [Oppelt's] first solo outing on disc; it makes for an impressive showcase for his talents...[this CD] is superbly executed by a crew of fine musicians and presented in an atmospheric and well-balanced recording."
Fanfare ~ September/October 2007

"The double bass isn't the half of it! The Rossini duo is played with vim and vigor [and] with a light touch...Oppelt is a fine musician and has put together an entertaining and unusual program."
American Record Guide ~ July/August 2007

WILL AYTON: A RELIQUARY FOR WILLIAM BLAKE – Parthenia; Alexandra Montano  MS1216
"a lovely program...[Parthenia] supply the glistening instrumental backdrop...[In the Reliquary] Ayton's sense of style, counterpoint and vocal writing are all expert...Ms. Montano sings expressively and without affectation, which is also a good way to describe Ayton's music. This is a pleasant, unpretentious surprise, attractively performed and recorded."
American Record Guide ~ November / December 2007

"Possibly the most aesthetically cohesive setting of [William] Blake's poetry and prose to music yet...The setting of William Blake's verse to music has proved irresistible to everyone from Allen Ginsberg (ridiculous) and Robin Williamson (sublime) to William Bolcom (both) and Van Morrison (neither). For sheer consistency and elegance of tone, however, nothing equals A Reliquary for William Blake. Composed by the American Will Ayton and performed with passionate delicacy by the viol consort Parthenia and the mezzo-soprano Alexandra Montano, Reliquary creates a musical setting for 14 Blake poems that, like the poetry itself, is simple on its surface but alive with richer goings-on just beneath."
World Music, June 2007

ANFANGS ("BEGINNINGS") Solo Guitar Recital – Tuomo Tirronen  MS1214
"The care with which [Tirronen] has assembled these pieces, his sense of timing, and his devoted advocacy create an intriguing experience for the listener. These are thoughtful, pensive compositions...communicative and evocative...Tirronen plays with dedication, precision, and sympathy. His performances are dignified, detailed, and allow everything to sound with maximum impact. Recommended to those with a taste for exploration."
Fanfare ~ November / December 2007

"In this fine debut [Tirronen] doesn't tackle so much as finesse his way around a disc's worth of contemporary guitar repertoire...[On this album] Tirronen has assembled an arc that seamlessly flows from one composition to the next in the quietist swash of notes...Tirronen lets beauty have its natural way while fully engaged in the language of modern music. What emerges is neither neo-romantic or New Age but a serious and profound program that asks the listener to contemplate with almost reverent stillness on the being of sound and the soundness of being.."
American Record Guide ~ September / October 2007

REVER EN COULEURS – Lisa Garner Santa; Gabriel Sanchez  MS1213
"I am quite taken [with this disc]...It is all magnificent music, played with finesse. The flutist has the kind of tone I prefer - rich, colorful, perfectly in control, and always in tune. Her phrasing is all well-shaped and thoughtful, just what this elegant music deserves. Sanchez is an equal partner. [Garner Santa] is a truly remarkable artist with dazzling musical ability. Flutists and non-flutists alike should find this wonderful disc. I look forward to hearing more from this duo."
American Record Guide ~ May / June 2008

INTO THE 21ST CENTURY – Jeffrey Powers; Vincent De Vries  MS1212
"...performed with virtuosic flair, emotion and beauty. Jeffrey Powers is an excellent horn player and musician who plays with apparent ease and abundant expressive skill. He and pianist Vincent DeVries play together beautifully - their ensemble precision is excellent...you will enjoy this CD."
The Horn Call ~ February 2008

"This is a wonderful, life-affirming disc that is expressly not hornist-only territory. Jeffrey Powers is an expressive player who brings a sense of nobility to the music on this disc. His repertoire choices are fine ones too. All credit, too, to MSR Classics for getting this music to the public view. In short, an excellently presented and performed disc preserved in stunning recorded sound."
Fanfare ~ November / December 2007

DIVINE HARMONY: TELEMANN SACRED CANTATAS – Patrice Djerejian; ECO / Sir Philip Ledger  MS1211
"Djerejian again impresses through her ability to move her weighty voice with agility and for her capacity for expressing the varying moods of her texts... Ledger's leadership from the keyboards is predictably deft...an appealing Telemann package..."
American Record Guide ~ January / February 2007

"Contralto Patrice Djerejian builds on the success of her earlier all-Handel release Love Lost and Found [MS1091] with Divine Harmony, a program of rarely heard sacred cantatas by Georg Philipp Telemann... In these cantatas, typically consisting of two florid arias with a soberly meditative recitative in between, Patrice Djerejian gives a good account of herself in the Baroque decorations that embellish the vocal line, underscoring the intent of the verse...an attractive program."
Atlanta Audio Society ~ September 2007

FRANZ LISZT: ROMANTIC WORKS FOR PIANO & ORCHESTRA – Joshua Pierce  MS1210
"Pierce's own 'fabulous technical virtuosity' is on thrilling display..."
World Magazine ~ June 2008

"...spectacular."
Turok's Choice ~ June 2008

"... I'm a huge fan of pianist Joshua Pierce, and danged if he hasn't convinced me...that the Rhapsodie Espagnole is worth my time. As for Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy, no convincing was needed. Both Russian orchestras are excellent."
CD HotList for Libraries ~ March 2008

SCHOENBERG: Pierrot Lunaire; Brettl-Lieder– Jennifer Goltz  MS1208
"This is a most judicious pairing...[the Brettl-Lieder] are lyrical and accessible...[they] take a highly stylised and sophisticated approach to the double entendre, symbolism and eroticism of the texts. Soprano Jennifer Goltz sings them as such. One can almost imagine her on the stage of a smoky cafe, teasing the crowd with suggestive gestures and entrancing patrons with a voice full of subtle allure and sprightly energy. On disc, she is captivating enough. The connection [between the Brettl-Lieder and Pierrot Lunaire] seems to have informed Goltz and the performers of the slyly named ensemble, Inauthentica, as well. She is brilliant again, and the California-based ensemble present Pierrot as if they had played it night after night in a theatre. It's a charged performance; with all the musicians acting like characters themselves in the twisted tale. While you get more value with other Pierrot recordings paired with Schoenberg's more famous music, this disc is a preferable way to enter that 20th-century masterpiece."
Gramophone ~ July 2008

"... The idea of pairing the wonderful Pierrot Lunaire with [Brettl-Lieder] is a stroke of genius. Jennifer Goltz makes a fine swipe at both of these works, her Brettl-Lieder being among the best, and she knows how to sell the work...Goltz brings a certain sense of the non-clinical to [Pierrot] that is very attractive. Fine sound, excellent performances from a surprising source, and one to be commended."
Audiophile Audition ~ June 2008

THE SCHUBERT RECORDINGS, Volume I – Joshua Pierce  MS1204
"[Pierce] applied his mind and heart to every phrase. Nothing is straightforward; everything is interpreted, and there's a reason behind every gesture. It is nice to hear such thoughtful playing..[Pierce's Schubert]...is sweet-natured and easy-going rather than temperamental. Tempos are not ponderous...in the Moments Musicaux Mr. Pierce phrases things beautifully, and theres even some atmosphere - some poetry to add to the meaningful prose..."
American Record Guide ~ November / December 2007

"Pierce's interpretations of Schubert's B-flat Sonata and Moments Musicaux convey undeniable enthusiasm, energy and sincerity...[a] gifted, charismatic pianist...Pierce's driving left hand generates gripping momentum in [Moment] No.5. Note, too, the eloquent lyricism he brings to No.4's Trio and the second and sixth pieces...Simplicity and beauty also distinguish his well proportioned account of the Allegretto. MSR's excellent engineering accurately mirrors the dulcert, singing sonority that Pierce carries with him from concert to concert and piano to piano"
Gramophone ~ October 2007

"Two generations ago this all-Schubert recital would have been one by Artur Schnabel. Joshua Pierce... plays the posthumous B-flat Sonata in a literalist, non-pedantic style, with a fine sense of the dramatic rumbles and pauses that afflict Schubert's pointed thoughts on emotional loss. If Pierce's playing reminds me of anyone else's, it is Claude Frank... Pierce handles the agitated triplets and harmonic shifts in the first movement smoothly and on a large scale... Pierce evokes a high, tense singing-line, and he projects the intricate left-hand bass harmonies without forcing them...The A Major spun-out melody by Pierce quite sings a song worthy of Keats... When Pierce wants the golden hammer, he uses it, only to transform the percussion into silver bells... Pregnant pauses, an outburst of passion, and attention to harmonic colors [in Moments Musicaux] set Pierce's rendition along some fine realizations, not the least of which is that by Rudolf Serkin on CBS."
Audiophile Audition ~ July 2007

"Pianist Joshua Pierce gets off to a great start in Vol. 1 of what promises to be a series of Franz Schubert’s piano music... He approaches the opening movement of the [B-flat] sonata in a straightforward manner, preferring to capture the abundant beauties en passant, without too much fuss... There is a fatalistic current underlying the most innocent melodies...and Pierce is sensitive to its presence."
Atlanta Audio Society, March 2007

COMMANDING STATEMENTS: Chamber Music for Trumpet - Peter Wood & Friends  MS1203
"Wood is a tasteful player with a consistently full, pure, and pleasant tone quality. This is a fine program, well prepared and executed."
American Record Guide ~ March / April 2007

BACCHANALE: Music for Trumpet & Bassoon - Guy Few & Nadina Mackie Jackson  MS1201
"Guy Few is a versatile musician whose work as a trumpeter and pianist have earned my praise more than once. I am more impressed than ever, and I hope he continues to record. Ms. Mackie Jackson has a dark, burnished tone and a sensuous way of playing that makes the bassoon seem like a more modern instrument than is often the case. Fine support by Kevin Mallon and the Toronto Chamber Orchestra; excellent sound."
American Record Guide ~ March / April 2007

"... in a performance as fine as the one recorded here [the Hindemith is] worth a listen... The rhythmic quirkiness and witty lightheartedness of [Bacchanale's] second section make it a fun piece that deserves wider exposure... The disc is filled out with arrangements of two short Shostakovich character pieces that are the highlights of the album. Few and Jackson play with polished tone, immaculate intonation, and infectious high spirits; it's obvious they're having a blast."
All Music Guide ~ November 2007

"...stunningly beautiful in every way...pure virtuosity by both instruments...gorgeously together and breathtakingly in tune...."
The Double Reed ~ April 2007

BEETHOVEN: COMPLETE PIANO CONCERTOS – Joshua Pierce / Bystrik Rezucha  MS1200
"Joshua Pierce is an excellent pianist [with a] lightness of touch that doesn’t preclude a sonorous tone and a flexible, even playful approach to phrasing that never pulls the line out of shape...As for the standard concertos, Pierce’s work is consistent...  He and conductor Režucha maintain tempos at a good clip...but they don’t rush the music...Pierce plays with energy, substance, and fullness, without feeling that, because this is Beethoven, he must hammer the klavier. The Slovak State Philharmonic pulls through professionally, with the conductor insisting on crisp playing in terms of tempo and articulation... Salzman contributes smart liner notes...[Pierce's] performances of the Big Five stand high among other recent efforts."
Fanfare - September/October 2007

"The American's bravura is polished and often fearless...this more-than-complete set has much to offer...a technically stellar, exuberant and often illuminating traversal...[the Concerto in E-flat] is well played by Pierce, expressive yet keeping within Classical parameters...[in the Concerto No.2] Pierce's playing is energized and brilliant with nice shade in the cadenzas. The soloist is equally sensitive in the Adagio...Pierce brings wit to the rather oddball original Rondo of No.1, bringing out the insistent staccato humour and finessing the mercurial shifts...In the First Concerto proper, Pierce's light-fingered articulation is well suited to early Beethoven and again the cadenza is superb, spun out with sparkling virtuosity and phrasing that leads the ear on...In the slow movement, Pierce floats the main theme in a natural way...[the] fast tempo and vivid articulation are scintillating...an exhilarating performance...[In No.3] the cadenza is again dazzling...The Largo is refined and elegant...[Pierce shows] speed and brilliance...[In the G major] the playing is faultless...[In the Emperor] Pierce is at his finest, with fleet yet bracingly vital and vividly characterised solo playing. [In this set] the performances are never less than involving, technically commanding and delightful."
Gramophone - June 2007

"Joshua Pierce...proves an exciting pianist in classical repertory. The fast movements bristle with excitement, giving the strong impression of concert performance...Pierce and company produce some exciting Beethoven. [In the earlier works] Pierce's no-nonsense approach and clear, detached fingerwork make a fine effect. [These recordings] have much to admire..."
American Record Guide, March / April 2007

"How does Joshua Pierce play Beethoven? How is it different? What’s magical about it? Is it the emphasis on rhythmic groupings, creating timbre with rhythms, or the utter lack of exaggeration, the fluidity, the simplicity, even? ... [The] special quality of balanced self-expression is what makes Joshua’s interpretation unique, in its unpretentious but dazzling clarity. No exaggeration here, no excessive rubato or aggressive dynamics. It makes Beethoven’s music come through exactly as it did historically, somewhere between Mozart and Schubert.""
Sequenza 21, February 2007

"Beethoven's complete piano concertos...are strikingly played by Joshua Pierce with involved accompaniments by the Slovak State Philharmonic under Bystrik Rezucha...yet another version of these concertos must offer something special to be competitive, and this set does - Pierce's unceasing energy and his uncanny sense of rhythm. The finest performers manage their accelerandos and ritards so that there is an eventual compensation that evens out the musical flow from time to time. For Pierce, this sort of compensation is constantly at work; it becomes central to his interpretations, which take on tension and excitement accordingly, illuminating this familiar music in an unfamiliar way. Technically, Pierce is impeccable...If your collection does not contain these pieces, the set can serve as a fine introduction; as an alternative to more standard interpretations, it makes a fine second version."
Turok's Choice, December 2006

THE END OF THE MATTER / Eric Berlin & Friends  MS1199
"Eric Berlin has all the elements one expects from a trumpet player - boldness, big sound, impressive technique - as well as the things that make a complete musician: tonal variety, ability and willingness to blend, and expressiveness. Eduardo Leandro is a superb percussionist...Lynn Klock is a very good player..."
American Record Guide ~ January / February 2008

"At the risk of succumbing to too much optimism, one can imagine the "spacey" feel of Berlin’s performances’ introducing progressive-rock fans arrested by the gimmick-laden but musically accomplished likes of Keith Emerson and Walter/Wendy Carlos to the deeper, wider worlds to which their more serious moments point."
World Magazine ~ January 2008.

WILLIAM BOLCOM: WORKS FOR VIOLIN & PIANO / Renata Artman Knific; Lori Sims  MS1197
"the present beautifully engineered performances are persuasive in almost every respect, and have deservedly earned the enthusiastic imprimatur of the composer. Knific and Sims bring a tremendous range of characterisation to these highly accessible works..."
Performance: 5 Stars / Sound: 5 Stars
BBC Music Magazine ~ February 2008

AEGEAN COUNTERPOINT: Chamber Music of NICKITAS DEMOS  MS1193
"[Demos influences] lend color and atmosphere to his writing...There is an attractive variety of moods here, and Demos works with breadth, working out one mood before contrasting it with another...Demos clearly has something to say...."
American Record Guide ~ March / April 2007

CHRISTOPHER ATZINGER DEBUT  MS1189
"...[Atzinger] is blessed with abundant energy, powerful fingers, a big sound and natural musicality. He makes the best possible case for Gregory Fritze's well made...1989 Sonata, moulding the jagged, proclamatory unison motifs and fuill-throated chords in contrary motion with immense authority, taking great care with the slow movement's inside-the-piano strumming and plucking...Atzinger more than holds his own against the Barber Sonata's finest recorded practitioners (Horowitz, Cliburn, Browning and Wild)...Atzinger benefits from MSR's warm, roomy and most attractive engineering."
Gramophone ~ July 2008

"Here we have a pianist not only with the technique, but the brains to put all of this together. Please don't think that this is a purely academic recording - the virtuosic bravura on display here is visceral. [Fritze] has written a very enjoyable work and couldn't ask for a better performance. There are no weak moments [in this release], only wonderful music-making. Christopher Atzinger is surely a pianist to keep a watch for."
American Record Guide ~ May / June 2008