Browse: Building a Library, Bartók (composer)

Mälkki and her Helsinki Philharmonic offer performances that are at once satisfying, dazzling and individual. There’s a poise, indeed an elegance, to the basic good posture of these interpretations,... — BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2021, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Bavouzet relishes the high-octane energy of the outer movements of the first two concertos but through his imaginatively varied use of colour manages to avoid the trap of making Bartók's percussive... — BBC Music Magazine, October 2010, 5 out of 5 stars More…

As Mandarins go, they don't come more miraculous than this – a vivid, no-holds-barred performance. Everything tells: the flavour is right, the pacing too, and the sound has a toughened, raw-edged... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Boulez is arguably the most influential figure in the world of music today — The Guardian More…

It is the flavour of this Concerto for Orchestra that wins the day. Just sample the subtle portamento that spices the string line at bars 52-3 (2'36'') of the first movement, and the sombre colouring... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

These performances provide more impressive sampling points than can be enumerated in a single review. The First Quartet's oscillating tempo-shifts work wonderfully well, all with total naturalness.
Characterisation... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Every strand in Bartók's dense contrapuntal argument emerges here with amazing clarity...The performance, too, is utterly compelling...Kocsis's steadfast refusal to let the tension sag coupled... — BBC Music Magazine, September 2010, 5 out of 5 stars More…