Reviews

Dagblad de Limburger by Maurice Wiche

“In the two movements from the Concerto for String Orchestra by Ginestera, Amsterdam Sinfonietta clearly demonstrated why it is considered to be one of the Netherland’s top orchestras. Performing without conductor, the musicians breathed in unison as one woman (the majority wins), presenting a truly convincing interpretation packed with excitement and intensity.”

Het Parool The Netherlands

[…] what one hears on this CD totally defies description. […] A collective miracle must have occurred during this recording, made sometime between March and May in the Leiden Stadsgehoorzaal: during a particularly wondrous period of almost ten minutes duration, the musicians are transported to another sphere of heavenly music-making. Beethoven / Walton CD

SA-CD.net by John Miller

“An inspired compilation of music for string orchestra. The sweetly elegant Romanticism of Dvorak’s Serenade is perfectly counter-poised by the gritty impressionism and modernism of Haas and Schulhoff.Candida Thompson’s firm direction of light and shade, delicacy and rusticity in the Dvorak and the totally committed response of the Sinfonietta players produces one of the most desirable and beguiling performances of this old favourite that one could imagine. Interplay between the string sections is crisp and clean, tonal warmth and richness abound, and the sometimes coy humour of the composer is captured perfectly in a scrupulously observant partnership.[…]Without doubt this splendid disc will head the list of my Discs of the Year; consumately performed and recorded with spectacular realism it is a compulsory purchase.” The Bohemian Album CD

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

[…] schon mit der Begleitung der allerersten Takte bei der vorstellung des gezackten Violinthemas wies thompson mit selten erlebter Deutlichkeit auf die subtile Harmonieführung der mittel und Begleitstimmen hin. und so ging es weiter bei dieser atemberaubend spannungsvollen mozart interpretation von gläserner transparenz und dennoch ungestümer spielfreude. […]

Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung

[…] Zum Schluss zeigen die 22 Musiker der Amsterdam Sinfonietta mit ihrer Konzertmeisterin Candida Thompson bei der Bearbeitung des 2. Streichquintetts von Johannes Brams für Streichorchester noch, mit welch glühend farbigen Klangfiguren sie den Saal füllen können: Brahms sozusagen im hi-Fi-Dolby-Sound, dynamisch vergrößert, aber nicht vergröbert. Und das Schmankerl des Ungarischen Tanzes Nr.5 als Zugabe: Hochgenuss!

Sunday Times

“Gilchrist’s Serenade, with Jasper de Waal the stupendous horn soloist, is one of the best things the English tenor has done on disc — Pears-like in its intensity and crystalline diction. The Sinfonietta’s strings have a whale of a time as a band of wannabe Paganinis in the Aria Italiana of the Bridge Variations.”

Financial Times

“wonderfully alert readings by the Amsterdam Sinfonietta”

Gramophone

“Hannigan brings to the text the dramatic energy she has to burn in her championship of Ligeti and Boulez, while the conductorless orchestra and soloist (herself sometimes a conductor) sound a natural fit…[in the Serenade] both soloists play their parts quite straight…An enjoyable and carefully balanced CD”

BBC Radio 3

“Barabara Hannigan bringing that Upshaw like flexibility and clarity, and plenty of theatricality as well to Brittens writing, and the Amsterdam Sinfonietta, directed frm the violin by Candida Thompson brings a brilliance of it’s own. An excellent contribution to the Britten anniversary.”

Andrew Larkin / bachtrack.com

Hampson and Amsterdam Sinfonietta produce a profound recital in DublinAs comfortable with the operatic roles of Verdi and Wagner as he is with Lieder, Thomas Hampson, the renowned American baritone, joined forces with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta last night for a fascinating exploration of early- and late-romantic German art songs in Dublin’s National Concert Hall. Hampson established the Hampsong Foundation a decade ago in order to “promote intercultural dialogue and understanding” through the art of song, and judging on last night’s performance this deep and sonorous baritone showed the audience how profoundly he can communicate through song. Founded in 1988, the Amsterdam Sinfonietta comprises 22 musicians who perform without a conductor, but who are very much inspired and guided by the artistic direction of the first violinist Candida Thompson. The collaboration between singer and orchestra was as satisfying as it was musically sensitive. […]