Vaughan Williams

Ashley Wass's commanding way with the solo part is beautifully poised in the Romanza, while admirably resisting any temptation to smooth over the Toccata's hard edges. Both in the Concerto... — BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2009, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Listening to the slower sections, you may pine for the original instrumentation, teasingly indicated in the arrangement’s score as particular bars pass by. On the other hand, it’s hard to resist... — BBC Music Magazine, March 2022, 4 out of 5 stars (Performance) / 3 out of 5 stars (Recording) More…

There are four unequivocal masterpieces for piano and orchestra in English 20th-century music: Bax's Winter Legends, Frank Bridge's Phantasm and the two works recorded here.
Until the appearance... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

The First Concerto was written when Mathias was only 20 and reveals a fascinatingly wiry, acerbic mindset which the composer largely jettisoned in his later style. With a greater sense of direction,... — Gramophone Magazine, December 2011 More…