…this is, fundamentally, a work of musical beauty.… Talbot displays a high degree of musical imagination throughout and I hope that anyone who listens to it will be as fascinated as I’ve been.… The performance by Conspirare is superb. Clearly, the singers have been thoroughly prepared by Craig Hella Johnson, not just technically but also interpretatively. I’m in awe of the standard of accomplishment that’s on display here. Producer/engineer Randall Squires has captured the performers in excellent sound; there’s a wide dynamic range, which complements the range of Talbot’s music, and excellent definition.… I see that in 2017 when reviewing the Tenebrae recording of Path of Miracles, I said this: “Anyone who cares about contemporary choral music should hasten to hear this wonderful score”. I can say nothing less of Piedra de sol.

Craig Hella Johnson and chamber choir Conspirare are on absolutely top form in this choral tour de force, which has to be heard to be believed.

The Olmos Ensemble shines in every piece on this album, but especially in the technically challenging Don Quixote, which is performed absolutely ravishingly.

Here is a delightful album which, for reasons I shall come to, I suggest no Poulenc devotee can afford to miss.

What elevates this recording even further is the artistry of Antony Gray and Rob Hao…it is piano duo playing of the very highest order. It transported me back to the joy of first discovering Poulenc and has earned a place among the recordings I know I shall return to time and again.

Nicholas Scott-Burt writes with skill and imagination, producing music that continually sustains the listener’s interest. Pianist Da-Hee Kim performs this music with skill, musicality, and conviction…this disc deserves the attention of pianophiles—and music lovers generally—who will discover abundant rewards within its finely crafted program. Most firmly recommended.

…magnificently played…The booklet is brilliantly detailed. The organ sounds magnificent throughout…Ffinch delivers…an ideally balanced and stimulating program.

Petrauskaitė has constructed a superb program of Liszt transcriptions. Her interpretations are finely wrought, her technique is impeccable, and she has the ability to make the beautiful Romantic melodies sing out above the rich textures beneath them. This is a highly recommended disc.

Isabelle O’Connell is an accomplished, sensitive pianist whose performances on this CD leave nothing to be desired. She is to be congratulated for putting together a unique, thought-provoking program…waste no time in procuring this disc. Warmly recommended.