“A very great deal more approachable than the title would suggest … the title is meant to be taken light-heartedly. We get a fair helping of modernistic techniques – glissandi, harmonics, left hand pizzicato – but there is nothing here that Paganini would not have recognized. The composer's wryly humorous style of writing extends not only to his programme notes but delightfully to sections of the music itself. The music cannot fail to enchant an audience and hold their attention. The acoustic … enables us to hear every detail of Skærved's superlatively skilful playing” – Paul Corfield Godfrey (MusicWeb)

“Whether it is ultra-high cantabile, stunning virtuosity or intimate reverie, Skaerved seems in his element. Indeed … a reading of impeccable virtuosity. It is in the final movement that the violinistic fiendishness of the title really comes in, and Skaerved rises to every challenge.” – Colin Clark (Tempo)

“The musical language of these pieces extends beyond traditional harmonic idioms, though not far beyond violinistic ones … interesting and even fascinating. Violinist Peter Sheppard Skaerved plays with technical acuity throughout, bringing to bear on the set his own sharp intellect and sense of characterization (all of which the engineers serve well in clean recorded sound). – Robert Maxham (Fanfare)

“These solo violin pieces.. bristle with harmonic and digital demands. Some of the bowing and articulation is deliberately vicious, but violence is often balanced by reflection… when [Pellay] bases a piece on a folk song … the results are rather lovely. These are not studies… but brief character pieces, utilizing the vast potential of the violin to mint the instrument's technical and expressive resources. All praise to the recording engineers, and above all to the intrepid Sheppard Skærved who plays like a man possessed.” – Jonathan Woolf (MusicWeb)