All just my personal opinion
Duo recital with Christoph Croisé and Oxana Shevchenko, Tonhalle Zurich, 2015-11-07 — Béla Bartók: Rhapsody No.1 for cello and piano, Sz.88 / BB 94; Claude Debussy: Cello Sonata in D minor (1915); Franz Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata in A minor, D.821; Alberto Ginastera: Pampeana No.2 – Rhapsodie for cello and piano
Natalia Gutman played with rich rubato, exploring the depth, the melodic strength of Dvořák’s composition with her dense, soft and singing tone (…) often, in lyrical passages, the soloist appeared completely immersed into the music, listening and playing with closed eyes (…)
The fourth movement, Allegretto, “Intermezzo interrotto” is rhythmically intricate, playing with Bohemian folk melodies — in typical Bartók / Hungarian manner, the meter is changing almost from bar to bar, leaving western ears “hanging in mid-air”: the orchestra’s playing was very good and appeared almost effortless.
Received from the composer, for reviewing: M.V. Waller — “The South Shore” (2015): (…) Michael Vincent Waller’s music is typically calm, contemplative, meditative, and it (usually slowly) evolves from small melodic, harmonic, and/or rhythmic cells, avoiding abrupt changes in dynamics and texture. In many ways (and in many pieces) it reminds me of chamber music by Arvo Pärt…
Some media are proclaiming Maurice Steger the “world champion of the recorder”. I think this is a rather odd statement, as musical interpretation can’t be measured, remains subjective, both on the side of the artist, as well as in the listener’s perception and receptivity; however, it is certainly legitimate to state that Maurice Steger’s recorder playing is in the world’s very top league…
Haydn: Cello concertos No.1 C & No.2 D — Maisky (1986), Mørk/Brown (1992), Rostropovich/Brown (1975), Isserlis/Norrington (1996); Haydn: Sinfonia concertante in B♭ major, Hob.I/105 — Antal Doráti (1972), Dennis Russell Davies (2009), Sir Roger Norrington (1996)