~ REVIEWS ~
2024
Carmel Bach Festival, California, USA
Bach Organ Recital, Carmel Mission Basilica
'[Andrew Arthur's] performance showed Bach to his best advantage. The highlight was the Chorale-Partita, BWV 768, for the inventiveness of Bach’s variations and the imaginative succession of tone colors that Arthur unleashed.'
San Francisco Classical Voice, July 22, 2024 (David Bratman)
CD Recording: J.S. Bach - Harpsichord Concertos BWV 1050, 1053, 1056 & 1057
The Hanover Band; Harpsichord & Director: Andrew Arthur
'Arthur’s performance is sensitive, clear, and brilliant, though never dominating the accompaniment [...His] superb command of Bach’s often complex music brings new life and interpretive energy to the music. Well worth obtaining.'
Fanfare (USA), May / June 2024 (Bertil van Boer)
Cambridge Early Music: 30th Anniversary Season
SOLOS, DUOS & TRIOS by J.S. BACH, HANDEL & TELEMANN
ORPHEUS BRITANNICUS
'Theresa Caudle (violin), Henrik Persson (Viola da gamba) and Andrew Arthur (harpsichord) delivered amazing performances throughout the concert [...] We had heard a superb programme of music from three great composers - and we had heard it courtesy of three of the most talented musicians specialising in baroque music today'
Cambridge Independent, 29 January 2024
2023
CD Recording: J.S. Bach - Harpsichord Concertos BWV 1050, 1053, 1056 & 1057The Hanover Band; Harpsichord & Director: Andrew Arthur
'[Arthur and the Hanover Band] play the music simply and beautifully, letting the compositions speak without overt interpretation. It sounds like friends having a good time playing chamber music. The performances sound ideal to me - one player per part, a strong and mostly legato bass line with string bass reinforcing it, buoyantly flowing tempos, outstandingly good intonation, and no startling eccentricities. The different tonalities make appropriately contrasting characters. As soon as this disc finished playing, I immediately bought the companion volume of concertos 1, 3, 4, and 7. It meets these high expectations.' American Record Guide, Nov / Dec 2023 (Bradley Lehman) ‘This recording completes the Hanover Band’s survey of Bach’s concertos for solo harpsichord with ensemble. Additionally, this second volume includes the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto whose concertino writing for harpsichord and sparkling first movement solo makes its presence apposite in the present company. Andrew Arthur enlivens Bach’s scores with clearly articulated solo playing and conversational dialogue with the instrumental group. This is especially important in the Brandenburg where the keyboard shares the limelight with traverse flute and violin. Rachel Brown and Theresa Caudle respectively contribute to a well-balanced texture which is especially rewarding in the essentially trio sonata Affettuoso in B minor, their account eloquently poised, gently and reflectively spoken. The other concerto requiring woodwind is BWV 1057, Bach’s arrangement of Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, the virtuosic, often dazzling solo violin writing of the original transferred, reshaped and allocated to the harpsichord. Andrew Arthur here and throughout rises to the occasion, joined by Rachel Brown and Rachel Beckett (recorders) and the Hanover Band’s unanimous string ensemble. The two remaining concertos, in E major and F minor fare well in these capable hands.[…] my overall experience is one of wholehearted enjoyment.’★★★★ BBC Music Magazine, September 2023 (Nicholas Anderson) 'When the first volume of Andrew Arthur’s harpsichord concertos with The Hanover Band (which I reviewed for the EMR in July 2022) was recorded, they also recorded the concertos that make up volume II. So the admirable acoustic of St Nicholas, Arundel and Trinity Hall’s excellent harpsichord by Andrew Garlick, built in 2009 (after a Jean-Claude Goujon of 1748), are common to both. A major key to the success of these recordings is the singing quality of this harpsichord in this acoustic under the fluid coaxing of Andrew Arthur’s touch. This second volume begins with BWV 1050, which we know as the fifth Brandenburg Concerto, with its ground-breaking harpsichord ‘cadenza’, and brings the wonderful Rachel uideinto the ensemble to join Andrew Arthur and the string players of the Hanover Band, led by the spirited, agile and mellifluous playing of Theresa Caudle. What makes these recordings so special is the natural balance between the instruments – harpsichord, woodwind and strings alike. This is particularly evident in the final concerto on the disc – BWV 1057, the version in F of the fourth Brandenburg, with two recorders (Rachel Brown and Rachel Becket) – where in this 1738 version the florid violin part of Brandenburg 4 is recast for the harpsichord and the amazing final fugal movement offers us every conceivable instrumental combination. […] Enchanting too is the way every player contributes. […] How lucky Andrew Arthur is to have such fine companions in making these wonderful recordings, where the harpsichord is never stridently soloistic but always the first among equals. I shall enjoy returning to this recording for a long time. It is such responsive, unshowy but fluid, utterly musical playing. This is how to hear Bach, and you should get it at once..'Early Music Review, August 2023 (David Stancliffe)
'… the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto [is] neatly articulated by the soloist and a one-to-a-part ensemble, presented at a steady pace and with a textural clarity that allows the double notes in the string ritornellos to speak, and graced by typically liquid flute-playing from Rachel Brown. Arthur’s first-movement cadenza, too, is agile but crisp and poised, maintaining a level of composure and control that makes the performance a pleasing antidote to the adrenalised charge of some recordings.[...] There are moments when the harpsichord is covered by the strings, but this is almost inevitable in these pieces, and praise must be given for a satisfyingly realistic forward balance for Arthur’s fine harpsichord-playing.' Gramophone, September 2023 (Lindsay Kemp)
'[Arthur and the Hanover Band] play the music simply and beautifully, letting the compositions speak without overt interpretation. It sounds like friends having a good time playing chamber music. The performances sound ideal to me - one player per part, a strong and mostly legato bass line with string bass reinforcing it, buoyantly flowing tempos, outstandingly good intonation, and no startling eccentricities. The different tonalities make appropriately contrasting characters. As soon as this disc finished playing, I immediately bought the companion volume of concertos 1, 3, 4, and 7. It meets these high expectations.' American Record Guide, Nov / Dec 2023 (Bradley Lehman) ‘This recording completes the Hanover Band’s survey of Bach’s concertos for solo harpsichord with ensemble. Additionally, this second volume includes the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto whose concertino writing for harpsichord and sparkling first movement solo makes its presence apposite in the present company. Andrew Arthur enlivens Bach’s scores with clearly articulated solo playing and conversational dialogue with the instrumental group. This is especially important in the Brandenburg where the keyboard shares the limelight with traverse flute and violin. Rachel Brown and Theresa Caudle respectively contribute to a well-balanced texture which is especially rewarding in the essentially trio sonata Affettuoso in B minor, their account eloquently poised, gently and reflectively spoken. The other concerto requiring woodwind is BWV 1057, Bach’s arrangement of Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, the virtuosic, often dazzling solo violin writing of the original transferred, reshaped and allocated to the harpsichord. Andrew Arthur here and throughout rises to the occasion, joined by Rachel Brown and Rachel Beckett (recorders) and the Hanover Band’s unanimous string ensemble. The two remaining concertos, in E major and F minor fare well in these capable hands.[…] my overall experience is one of wholehearted enjoyment.’★★★★ BBC Music Magazine, September 2023 (Nicholas Anderson) 'When the first volume of Andrew Arthur’s harpsichord concertos with The Hanover Band (which I reviewed for the EMR in July 2022) was recorded, they also recorded the concertos that make up volume II. So the admirable acoustic of St Nicholas, Arundel and Trinity Hall’s excellent harpsichord by Andrew Garlick, built in 2009 (after a Jean-Claude Goujon of 1748), are common to both. A major key to the success of these recordings is the singing quality of this harpsichord in this acoustic under the fluid coaxing of Andrew Arthur’s touch. This second volume begins with BWV 1050, which we know as the fifth Brandenburg Concerto, with its ground-breaking harpsichord ‘cadenza’, and brings the wonderful Rachel uideinto the ensemble to join Andrew Arthur and the string players of the Hanover Band, led by the spirited, agile and mellifluous playing of Theresa Caudle. What makes these recordings so special is the natural balance between the instruments – harpsichord, woodwind and strings alike. This is particularly evident in the final concerto on the disc – BWV 1057, the version in F of the fourth Brandenburg, with two recorders (Rachel Brown and Rachel Becket) – where in this 1738 version the florid violin part of Brandenburg 4 is recast for the harpsichord and the amazing final fugal movement offers us every conceivable instrumental combination. […] Enchanting too is the way every player contributes. […] How lucky Andrew Arthur is to have such fine companions in making these wonderful recordings, where the harpsichord is never stridently soloistic but always the first among equals. I shall enjoy returning to this recording for a long time. It is such responsive, unshowy but fluid, utterly musical playing. This is how to hear Bach, and you should get it at once..'Early Music Review, August 2023 (David Stancliffe)
'… the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto [is] neatly articulated by the soloist and a one-to-a-part ensemble, presented at a steady pace and with a textural clarity that allows the double notes in the string ritornellos to speak, and graced by typically liquid flute-playing from Rachel Brown. Arthur’s first-movement cadenza, too, is agile but crisp and poised, maintaining a level of composure and control that makes the performance a pleasing antidote to the adrenalised charge of some recordings.[...] There are moments when the harpsichord is covered by the strings, but this is almost inevitable in these pieces, and praise must be given for a satisfyingly realistic forward balance for Arthur’s fine harpsichord-playing.' Gramophone, September 2023 (Lindsay Kemp)
2022
CD Recording: J.S. Bach - Harpsichord Concertos BWV 1052, 1054, 1055 & 1058
The Hanover Band; Harpsichord & Director: Andrew Arthur
'An excellent record, which I enjoyed very much, [...] Indeed, so impressed have I been by this disc that although these concertos have been recorded many times, I cannot recall a set of performances which has satisfied me so much. [...] The recording balance is equally first-rate'
★★★★★ Musical Opinion Quarterly, October-December, 2022 (Robert Matthew-Walker)
'Le claveciniste Andrew Arthur a réalisé ici un travail de préparation important pour résoudre les problèmes d'équilibre entre les cordes et l'instrument à cordes pincées. Le traitement des basses dans le mouvement initial du BWV 1058, la mise en valeur du contrepoint dans les parties inter-médiaires, la pertinence des phrasés forcent l'admiration [...] Les mouvements lents bénéficient d'un soin scrupuleux et d'une recherche poussée sur la couleur harmonique, le geste expressif est très abouti.'
★★★★★ Coup de coeur, Classica (France) - No. 251, Avril 2023 (Phillippe Ramin)
'[…] Bach used only single stringed instruments for each orchestral part, a limitation respected on these recordings. It turns out to be no limitation at all, in fact the intimate and finely-detailed weave of the five string players of the Hanover Band is one of the recording's chief pleasures […] Another is the playing of harpsichordist Andrew Arthur, which always feels alert and responsive to the orchestral parts, and has just enough tempo flexibility and ornamentation to bring Bach’s aural designs to life. The sheer sensuousness of the slow movements, which are taken at a luxuriously slow pace, should win over even hardened harpsichord sceptics.
★★★★ The Telegraph, July 28, 2022 (Ivan Hewett)
Critic's recommendation: Best Classical CD releases of July 2022
This is a fine new recording of the Bach harpsichord concertos with the Hanover Band in good form. [...]
Andrew Arthur is a fine player, and the Garlick harpsichord sounds very well. [...] if wanting stylistic performances of these four concertos, this is well worth considering.'
★★★★ Choir & Organ, November/December, 2022 (Douglas Hollick)
'This fine first CD – the second will include the other three harpsichord concertos and Brandenburg V – was recorded in the admirable acoustic of St Nicholas, Arundel and uses a harpsichord by Andrew Garlick, built in 2009 and after Jean-Claude Goujon, 1748. What is particularly good is the splendid balance between the single strings of the Hanover Band’s A team and the harpsichord – a resonant and singing instrument, well able to hold its own.[...] It is now largely accepted that using single strings is the best way to balance these exquisite concerti, the majority of which had earlier lives as concerti for violin before being re-scored for a six-instrument ensemble for Bach’s concerts in Zimmermann’s coffee-house. [...] what is so beguiling about these performances is the absolute integration of the players with one another. Not one player fails to contribute and the way the first violin and the right hand of the harpsichord play in complete sync – even when negotiating slight inégales in the rhythms – is so elegant and makes for that fluidity which only one-to-a-part can give. Although the excellent performance by Francesco Corti and Shunsuke Sato uses a second harpsichord to play the continuo of BWV 1055 for All-of-Bach, this marvellous performance beats it for natural clarity and for the way all the players – even when they appear to be just filling in the realisation of the continuo – shape their lines to make them sing in response to one other and to the free but perfectly rhythmic playing of Andrew Arthur. This is not only a very ‘correct’ textbook version that I shall enjoy returning to for a long time, but it is fluid, inventive and utterly musical.[...] Andrew Arthur is not a soloist in the modern sense of the word – out to stamp his personality on this music: he is content to help the ensemble to listen to each other and above all, to listen to Bach. There are no grand gestures or extremes of tempi. This is the best we are likely to get and I look forward to the second CD immensely.'
Early Music Review (David Stancliffe)
'An enjoyably no-nonsense kind of playing makes the opening movement of Bach's Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052, extremely striking. Soloist Andrew Arthur and the one-to-a-part strings of the Hanover Band play with a feisty swing. Like windows flung open after the rain, there's a matter-of-fact muscularity to the performance, and continuo team Henrik Persson and Kate Brooke provide copious flexing. It's fun. Incredibly funky playing from Arthur, too, makes this movement - particularly the cadenza-like peroration that drives into the final recapitulation of the main - perhaps the album's highlight. [...] Arthur's ornamentation is interesting yet delicately scented, and his trills keep the harpsichord's line singing in the most spectacular fashion.'
Gramophone, September 2022 (Mark Seow)
‘It has a real freshness and excitement to it’
In Tune, BBC Radio 3, 15 July, 2022 (Sean Rafferty)
‘[…] a really rich sound, with enjoyable ornamentation - I like the balance as well’
Record Review, BBC Radio 3, 30 July 2022 (Andrew McGregor)
'The sound of this recording just glows! The pieces have such rhythmic drive - you can hear every detail'
Sunday Morning, BBC Radio 3, 2 October 2022 (Sarah Walker)
J.S. Bach - St John Passion, King's Place, London
The Hanover Band & Chorus; Director: Andrew Arthur
'The real excitement came from superb chorus work: several explosive “Kreuzige!”, jabbing counterpoint and a dizzying, ironic, lightness of touch as the soldiers divide up Jesus’ clothes. The opening and closing choruses were carefully crafted in their shapes and structure, conductor Andrew Arthur offering a great tour of the music’s architecture. The chorales [...], which can all too often lapse into “And now a message from our sponsor” humdrum, had distinctive textures, weights and tempi, with key words carefully shaded and underlined. Arthur led from the chamber organ, but was at his best when strictly conducting a chorus arrayed in heavenly rows above the stage. The Hanover Band, lead by Theresa Caudle (who turned to the viola d’amore for a couple of exquisite solos), was as crisp and incisive as one could hope.'
Bachtrack.com, 15 April, 2022 (Benjamin Poore)
2021
Handel - Messiah, King's Place, LondonThe Hanover Band & Chorus; Director: Andrew Arthur
'Maximum Messiah uplift''Handel's Messiah, first performed soon after Easter in 1742 but now an Advent tradition, digs deep into the rhtythm of the musical season. The work's grip, for performers and listeners, is tenacious. Think of the 3,600 people who took part, with arduous recording at home, in the Self-Isolation Choir's online Messiah in Mat 2020, repeating the exercise this year. This past week, the Hanover Band, small forces, directed from the harpsichord by Andrew Arthur, bravely scheduled five live performances in 10 days. The second, in the gratifying acoustic of King's Place, passed, as the text has it, in the twinkling of an eye: not because tempi were fast - though they were - but because the 16 singers, 18 period instrument players and four accomplished soloists (Tara Bungard, Timothy Morgan, Bradley Smith, Edward Price) communicated with such urgency and virtuosity. As an end to 2021's often bewildering listening year, the concluding fugal "Amen", with celestial trumpet and thunderous drums, was an appropriate revelation.' ★★★★ The Guardian, 18 December, 2021(Fiona Maddocks)
'Maximum Messiah uplift''Handel's Messiah, first performed soon after Easter in 1742 but now an Advent tradition, digs deep into the rhtythm of the musical season. The work's grip, for performers and listeners, is tenacious. Think of the 3,600 people who took part, with arduous recording at home, in the Self-Isolation Choir's online Messiah in Mat 2020, repeating the exercise this year. This past week, the Hanover Band, small forces, directed from the harpsichord by Andrew Arthur, bravely scheduled five live performances in 10 days. The second, in the gratifying acoustic of King's Place, passed, as the text has it, in the twinkling of an eye: not because tempi were fast - though they were - but because the 16 singers, 18 period instrument players and four accomplished soloists (Tara Bungard, Timothy Morgan, Bradley Smith, Edward Price) communicated with such urgency and virtuosity. As an end to 2021's often bewildering listening year, the concluding fugal "Amen", with celestial trumpet and thunderous drums, was an appropriate revelation.' ★★★★ The Guardian, 18 December, 2021(Fiona Maddocks)
CD Recording 'See, see the Word is incarnate'Choral & Instrumental Music by Orlando Gibbons, Thomas Tomkins & Thomas WeekesThe Chapel Choir of Trinity Hall, CambridgeOrpheus Britannicus Vocal Consort & Newe ViallesDirector: Andrew Arthur
‘[...] this finely produced disc is an excellent exemplar to modern ears of the musical riches - still too little-known - from the Stuart dynasty. The music has been most intelligently chosen, and the performances - from choir, viol consort and solo organ - are all of a very high standard, as is the consistent recording quality.' ★★★★★ The Organ (James Palmer)
'Despite a long and distinguished history, Trinity Hall, founded as early as 1350, is one of the lesser-known colleges that make up the University of Cambridge. [...] I was well aware of Trinity Hall but am mortified to confess that I knew nothing of its chapel, nor of its chapel choir and its several discs released before the one currently under review here. On the basis of this recording, the state of its music is certainly of a piece with the college’s eminent stature. The mixed Chapel Choir has 23 members (7S 6A 5T 5B) and verses are sung by members of Orpheus Britannicus, the Ensemble in Residence which consists of seven singers who are well kent in early music circles. Accompaniments are provided by the organ scholar, James Grimwood, or the five-strong consort, Newe Vialles, while the several organ solos are played by the college’s Director of Music, Andrew Arthur, who also conducts. [...] nowhere throughout the disc is there a dull moment, half because of the quality of the music and half because of the leisured intensity of the performances.[...] There is a richness about the tone of the choir which suggests a Baroque sensibility rather than the more austere Anglican approach which is often adopted for the music of these composers. Thanks to the slower tempi, individual parts are easily audible while the voices blend beautifully. This is a most impressive recording. For potential purchasers unfamiliar with the repertory but keen to give it a hearing (or just keen to support Trinity Hall), it is a delightful introduction. For those familiar with this music, and who possess recordings of all these pieces, it is well worth buying this disc for the singularly ripe yet penetrating performances.' Early Music Review (Richard Turbet)
'The various musical forces drawn together for this production breathe new life into this music from centuries past in the fine performances collected here.' Lark Reviews
'Andrew Arthur sets a pace that is refreshingly unhurried, giving the massed voices a chance for their individual lines to be heard in the generous acoustic. [...] Andrew Arthur's performance of the Voluntary (in C, MB24) is particularly impressive, with its virtuosic concluding flourish executed perfectly.' Early Music Reviews+ (Andrew Benson-Wilson)
‘...impresive and warmly resonant' BBC Music Magazine (Anthony Pryer)
‘[...] this finely produced disc is an excellent exemplar to modern ears of the musical riches - still too little-known - from the Stuart dynasty. The music has been most intelligently chosen, and the performances - from choir, viol consort and solo organ - are all of a very high standard, as is the consistent recording quality.' ★★★★★ The Organ (James Palmer)
'Despite a long and distinguished history, Trinity Hall, founded as early as 1350, is one of the lesser-known colleges that make up the University of Cambridge. [...] I was well aware of Trinity Hall but am mortified to confess that I knew nothing of its chapel, nor of its chapel choir and its several discs released before the one currently under review here. On the basis of this recording, the state of its music is certainly of a piece with the college’s eminent stature. The mixed Chapel Choir has 23 members (7S 6A 5T 5B) and verses are sung by members of Orpheus Britannicus, the Ensemble in Residence which consists of seven singers who are well kent in early music circles. Accompaniments are provided by the organ scholar, James Grimwood, or the five-strong consort, Newe Vialles, while the several organ solos are played by the college’s Director of Music, Andrew Arthur, who also conducts. [...] nowhere throughout the disc is there a dull moment, half because of the quality of the music and half because of the leisured intensity of the performances.[...] There is a richness about the tone of the choir which suggests a Baroque sensibility rather than the more austere Anglican approach which is often adopted for the music of these composers. Thanks to the slower tempi, individual parts are easily audible while the voices blend beautifully. This is a most impressive recording. For potential purchasers unfamiliar with the repertory but keen to give it a hearing (or just keen to support Trinity Hall), it is a delightful introduction. For those familiar with this music, and who possess recordings of all these pieces, it is well worth buying this disc for the singularly ripe yet penetrating performances.' Early Music Review (Richard Turbet)
'The various musical forces drawn together for this production breathe new life into this music from centuries past in the fine performances collected here.' Lark Reviews
'Andrew Arthur sets a pace that is refreshingly unhurried, giving the massed voices a chance for their individual lines to be heard in the generous acoustic. [...] Andrew Arthur's performance of the Voluntary (in C, MB24) is particularly impressive, with its virtuosic concluding flourish executed perfectly.' Early Music Reviews+ (Andrew Benson-Wilson)
‘...impresive and warmly resonant' BBC Music Magazine (Anthony Pryer)
CD Recording 'Mozart Sonatas for Violin & Fortepiano, K. 301, 305-6 & K. 454'Peter Hanson: ViolinAndrew Arthur: Fortepiano
‘The musicanship is exemplary, the sense of style from Hanson and Arthur perfect. Hesitate not!' The Classical Explorer (Colin Clarke)
‘[The] rapport between the two players shows through in a beautifully balanced sequence of Mozart sonatas. The recording venue is the Chapel of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, its wood-lined walls giving the sound a realistic resonance without favouring either instrument unduly. Hanson plays a gut-strung Guadagnini with a 1780s bow, whilst Arthur's keyboard is yet another beautifully voiced fortepiano from the studio of Paul McNulty - a copy of a Walter from around 1805. [...] in music that offers such rewards as Mozart's violin sonatas, the appetite is whetted for further instalments from these players.' Gramophone (David Threasher)
'The renowned period violinist Peter Hanson teams up here with the equally celebrated fortepianist Andrew Arthur in effervescent performances [...] impeccably musical and charmingly involving' Early Music Review, 29 Nov 2021
'I'm a period-instrument fan generally. However, when it comes to Classical-era music I don't always find period renditions terribly convincing, and therefore I tend to prefer stylistically knowledgable performances on modern instruments. Here's a definite exception, however, from two excellent British specialists. [...] Together Hanson and Arthur give you the feeling of being in an 18th-century parlor with performances of intimacy and verve. [...] this is an ideal sampler of Mozart's violin-and-keyboard music on period instruments and will surely make it to my Want List.' Fanfare Magazine, USA (Michael De Sapio)
‘A fine period-instrument recording of these sonatas which are each dedicated to women who supported Mozart in his musical endeavours. The duo of Peter Hanson and Andrew Arthur work well together in the performances here.' Lark Reviews (June 2021)
'Couldn't be better! Sensitive, lovingly shared. They make Mozart sound simple. What a deception. Not everyone can play Mozart this way.' Amazon.com, Customer review
‘The musicanship is exemplary, the sense of style from Hanson and Arthur perfect. Hesitate not!' The Classical Explorer (Colin Clarke)
‘[The] rapport between the two players shows through in a beautifully balanced sequence of Mozart sonatas. The recording venue is the Chapel of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, its wood-lined walls giving the sound a realistic resonance without favouring either instrument unduly. Hanson plays a gut-strung Guadagnini with a 1780s bow, whilst Arthur's keyboard is yet another beautifully voiced fortepiano from the studio of Paul McNulty - a copy of a Walter from around 1805. [...] in music that offers such rewards as Mozart's violin sonatas, the appetite is whetted for further instalments from these players.' Gramophone (David Threasher)
'The renowned period violinist Peter Hanson teams up here with the equally celebrated fortepianist Andrew Arthur in effervescent performances [...] impeccably musical and charmingly involving' Early Music Review, 29 Nov 2021
'I'm a period-instrument fan generally. However, when it comes to Classical-era music I don't always find period renditions terribly convincing, and therefore I tend to prefer stylistically knowledgable performances on modern instruments. Here's a definite exception, however, from two excellent British specialists. [...] Together Hanson and Arthur give you the feeling of being in an 18th-century parlor with performances of intimacy and verve. [...] this is an ideal sampler of Mozart's violin-and-keyboard music on period instruments and will surely make it to my Want List.' Fanfare Magazine, USA (Michael De Sapio)
‘A fine period-instrument recording of these sonatas which are each dedicated to women who supported Mozart in his musical endeavours. The duo of Peter Hanson and Andrew Arthur work well together in the performances here.' Lark Reviews (June 2021)
'Couldn't be better! Sensitive, lovingly shared. They make Mozart sound simple. What a deception. Not everyone can play Mozart this way.' Amazon.com, Customer review
2019
CD Recording 'Dieterich Buxtehude - Membra Jesu nostri'The Chapel Choir of Trinity Hall, CambridgeOrpheus Britannicus & Newe ViallesDirector: Andrew Arthur
‘…a fresh and touching new reading from Andrew Arthur’s Orpheus Britannicus and Trinity Hall Chapel Choir, and the viol consort Newe Vialles. Prepare to enjoy beautiful singing and haunting music in a chapel acoustic as comforting as a blazing log fire.’ ★★★★ The Times (Geoff Brown)
‘Immediately striking here in Buxtehude’s slow-moving Passion meditation is the quiet, articulate intensity and aching sense of intimacy on display…performances characterised by clarity, precision, nuanced responses to changes of expressive tone and emotional temperature, and an admirably flexible reciprocity between all concerned. The abiding, altogether involving impression is one of utter sincerity and refined, fluid finesse. Excellent booklet notes by [Andrew] Arthur and Franco Basso perfectly complement these fine and valuable performances.’ ★★★★★ Classical Ear (Michael Quinn)
‘a fine performance…emotional and moving…’ Record Review, BBC Radio 3 (Andrew McGregor)
'Buxtehude’s cycle of seven cantatas, Membra Jesu nostri, BuxWV 75 is given an intensely intimate performance by the period ensemble Orpheus Britannicus, the Chapel Choir of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and the viol consort Newe Vialles. I found listening to this to be a most moving experience – one that was enhanced by the way in which the Resonus engineers had captured the sound within the accommodating chapel acoustic. The director Andrew Arthur also contributes to the excellent booklet notes that complete a most recommendable package.’ ★★★★1/2 iClassical, April 2019
'It is often the context of the music-making that distinguishes its character, and the near ideal conditions of a choir of young singers together with a quintet of singers who share that background and the strings, lute and keyboard of Orpheus Britannicus, joined by the Newe Vialles viol consort in the subdued Part 6 (Ad Cor) provide a very coherent group of musicians for this tense, yet restrained masterpiece of early German Baroque oratorio. I admire the overall sound – there are no prima donnas here, nor the sense that this is just another routine performance. The intensity of it all is maintained by the experienced and capable direction of Andrew Arthur, as is the sense of the different chori – well laid out in the structure of the work as it is in the performance. His scholarly and helpful essay is a key element in the liner notes, revealing where and how Anders von Düben transcribed this work from its tablature original of 1680 into staff notation. This is complemented by a revealing note on the Latin text by Franco Basso, which is then given with an English translation. Details of pitch, instruments and tuning complete a model booklet…The choir sings with conviction and clarity and they reflect their director’s precision and their regular experience of singing in the small Chapel at Trinity Hall...There is such wonderful variety of mood and expression in this pioneering work, and we should be glad that it has received such skilled and musical a treatment. If you want a recording to complement a [one-to-a-part] performance, I recommend this CD wholeheartedly; and in its own right it is a fine advertisement for this director and his college choir. Early Music Review (David Stancliffe)
'..seductive and ravishing…' ★★★★ BBC Music Magazine (Paul Riley)
'This is an outstanding work that is given an excellent performance here’ MusicWeb-International (Stuart Sillitoe)
’This substantial composition gets a stunning new presentation in this release combining period instrument with the well disciplined voices of Trinity Hall’ Lark Reviews
’Supplementing the same vocal and instrumental forces he used on his 2017 Priory disc devoted to the sacred music of Purcell with the newly formed period-instrument ensemble Newe Vialles, Andrew Arthur has assembled a substantial body of performers. Yet he uses them most effectively, drawing from them an intimacy and directness of expression which gets right to the core of the work. Interpretatively, the most impressive thing is Arthur’s pacing and sense of deep repose. Time seems to stand still with the orchestral Sonata which opens the fourth cantata (‘To the Side’) before gently moving on into a decidedly Monteverdian setting of a text derived from the Song of Solomon. At no time do you feel that Andrew Arthur is in any sort of hurry to get through the work, and a sense that at every corner and turn he is content to linger contemplatively imbues this performance with a rare sense of ease.’ Gramophone (Marc Rochester)
‘…a fresh and touching new reading from Andrew Arthur’s Orpheus Britannicus and Trinity Hall Chapel Choir, and the viol consort Newe Vialles. Prepare to enjoy beautiful singing and haunting music in a chapel acoustic as comforting as a blazing log fire.’ ★★★★ The Times (Geoff Brown)
‘Immediately striking here in Buxtehude’s slow-moving Passion meditation is the quiet, articulate intensity and aching sense of intimacy on display…performances characterised by clarity, precision, nuanced responses to changes of expressive tone and emotional temperature, and an admirably flexible reciprocity between all concerned. The abiding, altogether involving impression is one of utter sincerity and refined, fluid finesse. Excellent booklet notes by [Andrew] Arthur and Franco Basso perfectly complement these fine and valuable performances.’ ★★★★★ Classical Ear (Michael Quinn)
‘a fine performance…emotional and moving…’ Record Review, BBC Radio 3 (Andrew McGregor)
'Buxtehude’s cycle of seven cantatas, Membra Jesu nostri, BuxWV 75 is given an intensely intimate performance by the period ensemble Orpheus Britannicus, the Chapel Choir of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and the viol consort Newe Vialles. I found listening to this to be a most moving experience – one that was enhanced by the way in which the Resonus engineers had captured the sound within the accommodating chapel acoustic. The director Andrew Arthur also contributes to the excellent booklet notes that complete a most recommendable package.’ ★★★★1/2 iClassical, April 2019
'It is often the context of the music-making that distinguishes its character, and the near ideal conditions of a choir of young singers together with a quintet of singers who share that background and the strings, lute and keyboard of Orpheus Britannicus, joined by the Newe Vialles viol consort in the subdued Part 6 (Ad Cor) provide a very coherent group of musicians for this tense, yet restrained masterpiece of early German Baroque oratorio. I admire the overall sound – there are no prima donnas here, nor the sense that this is just another routine performance. The intensity of it all is maintained by the experienced and capable direction of Andrew Arthur, as is the sense of the different chori – well laid out in the structure of the work as it is in the performance. His scholarly and helpful essay is a key element in the liner notes, revealing where and how Anders von Düben transcribed this work from its tablature original of 1680 into staff notation. This is complemented by a revealing note on the Latin text by Franco Basso, which is then given with an English translation. Details of pitch, instruments and tuning complete a model booklet…The choir sings with conviction and clarity and they reflect their director’s precision and their regular experience of singing in the small Chapel at Trinity Hall...There is such wonderful variety of mood and expression in this pioneering work, and we should be glad that it has received such skilled and musical a treatment. If you want a recording to complement a [one-to-a-part] performance, I recommend this CD wholeheartedly; and in its own right it is a fine advertisement for this director and his college choir. Early Music Review (David Stancliffe)
'..seductive and ravishing…' ★★★★ BBC Music Magazine (Paul Riley)
'This is an outstanding work that is given an excellent performance here’ MusicWeb-International (Stuart Sillitoe)
’This substantial composition gets a stunning new presentation in this release combining period instrument with the well disciplined voices of Trinity Hall’ Lark Reviews
’Supplementing the same vocal and instrumental forces he used on his 2017 Priory disc devoted to the sacred music of Purcell with the newly formed period-instrument ensemble Newe Vialles, Andrew Arthur has assembled a substantial body of performers. Yet he uses them most effectively, drawing from them an intimacy and directness of expression which gets right to the core of the work. Interpretatively, the most impressive thing is Arthur’s pacing and sense of deep repose. Time seems to stand still with the orchestral Sonata which opens the fourth cantata (‘To the Side’) before gently moving on into a decidedly Monteverdian setting of a text derived from the Song of Solomon. At no time do you feel that Andrew Arthur is in any sort of hurry to get through the work, and a sense that at every corner and turn he is content to linger contemplatively imbues this performance with a rare sense of ease.’ Gramophone (Marc Rochester)
2018
Handel - Messiah, King's Place, LondonThe Hanover Band & Chorus; Director: Andrew Arthur★★★★★ www.planethugill.com 17 December, 2018 (Anthony Evans)
'A triumphal Messiah''[...] from the first bars of the Sinfony it was plain that The Hanover Hand's idea of 'authentic' would be anything but dull. To say their performance was a breath of fresh air would be to do them a disservice. This was the full steam clean with pressure washers, and what emerged was a work that sparkled like new...dramatically vivid, dynamic and beautiful. Phrasing was elegant with ornamentation that was finely turned and stylish rather than ostentatious and some exquisitely judged dynamics [...] I really don't remember Messiah being so spine-tingling [...] a triumph.'
'A triumphal Messiah''[...] from the first bars of the Sinfony it was plain that The Hanover Hand's idea of 'authentic' would be anything but dull. To say their performance was a breath of fresh air would be to do them a disservice. This was the full steam clean with pressure washers, and what emerged was a work that sparkled like new...dramatically vivid, dynamic and beautiful. Phrasing was elegant with ornamentation that was finely turned and stylish rather than ostentatious and some exquisitely judged dynamics [...] I really don't remember Messiah being so spine-tingling [...] a triumph.'
.JPG "Andrew Arthur & Robert Farley")
CD Recording 'A Courtly Garland for Baroque Trumpet'Baroque Trumpet: Robert Farley; Director: Andrew Arthur
'...it’s hard to imagine these pieces being played better.' Gramophone
'As Gottfied Reiche's solo Abblasen sounds the opening fanfare on a disc that explores the trumpet's assimilation into the 17th century Baroque, Robert Farley's laser precision and unflappable ebullience take the phrase 'clarion call' to the next level. And although, during his first decade in Leipzig, J.S. Bach was a conspicuous beneficiary of Reiche's celebrated dexterity, Farley is on a mission to show the trumpet's earlier evolution from something of emblemtaic of parade ground and battlefield to an instrument capable of chamber music subtlelty - Italy at the heart of a seismic shift...But Italy doesn't have the field to itself. Biber, Schmelzer and Gottfried Finger supply welcome contrast, especially when a dash of stylus phantasticus lessens the danger of so many short movements blurring one into another. It's a danger evidently recognised in the careful programming which rings the textural changes from trumpet plus solo accompaniment to richly layered five-part sonatas including the ear-grabbing interpolation of bassoon in Schmelzer's Sonata in C. Incisive, rhythmically taut in fast movements, eloquently expressive in slow ones, Farley's artistry is perfectly complimented by the suave sophisication of Orpheus Britannicus. And buttressed by vivid recorded sound, there's an alchemy at work that turns not-so-base metal into trumpet gold!' ★★★★ BBC Music Magazine (Paul Riley)
‘Robert Farley’s trumpet playing is most impressive...the sound of the trumpet is balanced by the occasional organ solo, including a Toccata by Pasquini and two Canzonas by Frescobaldi, attractively played by Andrew Arthur [and] there are some excellent contributions from the period instrumentalists of Orpheus Britannicus, notably Theresa Caudle, violin….’ Early Music Reviews+ (Andrew Benson-Wilson)
'...Farley and the ensemble Orpheus Britannicus are impressive.' MusicWeb International
‘While trumpeter Robert Farley assumes a starring role, this is a collegial effort in which the Orpheus Britannicus (playing period instruments) and its director, organist Andrew Arthur, are also both afforded chances to shine on their own. The playing is spirited and stylish…Farley is an exquisite trumpeter with impeccable technique and finely varied tonal timbre. The performers are well recorded in a rich ambience; detailed booklet notes are provided…and, as the timing indicates, the disc is generously filled to the brim. Definitely recommended’ Fanfare, USA (James A. Altena)
'...it’s hard to imagine these pieces being played better.' Gramophone
'As Gottfied Reiche's solo Abblasen sounds the opening fanfare on a disc that explores the trumpet's assimilation into the 17th century Baroque, Robert Farley's laser precision and unflappable ebullience take the phrase 'clarion call' to the next level. And although, during his first decade in Leipzig, J.S. Bach was a conspicuous beneficiary of Reiche's celebrated dexterity, Farley is on a mission to show the trumpet's earlier evolution from something of emblemtaic of parade ground and battlefield to an instrument capable of chamber music subtlelty - Italy at the heart of a seismic shift...But Italy doesn't have the field to itself. Biber, Schmelzer and Gottfried Finger supply welcome contrast, especially when a dash of stylus phantasticus lessens the danger of so many short movements blurring one into another. It's a danger evidently recognised in the careful programming which rings the textural changes from trumpet plus solo accompaniment to richly layered five-part sonatas including the ear-grabbing interpolation of bassoon in Schmelzer's Sonata in C. Incisive, rhythmically taut in fast movements, eloquently expressive in slow ones, Farley's artistry is perfectly complimented by the suave sophisication of Orpheus Britannicus. And buttressed by vivid recorded sound, there's an alchemy at work that turns not-so-base metal into trumpet gold!' ★★★★ BBC Music Magazine (Paul Riley)
‘Robert Farley’s trumpet playing is most impressive...the sound of the trumpet is balanced by the occasional organ solo, including a Toccata by Pasquini and two Canzonas by Frescobaldi, attractively played by Andrew Arthur [and] there are some excellent contributions from the period instrumentalists of Orpheus Britannicus, notably Theresa Caudle, violin….’ Early Music Reviews+ (Andrew Benson-Wilson)
'...Farley and the ensemble Orpheus Britannicus are impressive.' MusicWeb International
‘While trumpeter Robert Farley assumes a starring role, this is a collegial effort in which the Orpheus Britannicus (playing period instruments) and its director, organist Andrew Arthur, are also both afforded chances to shine on their own. The playing is spirited and stylish…Farley is an exquisite trumpeter with impeccable technique and finely varied tonal timbre. The performers are well recorded in a rich ambience; detailed booklet notes are provided…and, as the timing indicates, the disc is generously filled to the brim. Definitely recommended’ Fanfare, USA (James A. Altena)
2017
CD Recording 'The English Orpheus'
‘What a glorious CD. I was riveted from the first bar. There is no attempt to gild the lily. Andrew Arthur allows the music to speak for itself, which it does most eloquently. Ensemble is paramount. Solos are provided ‘in choir’ with no ego. Do buy this wonderful disc, and enjoy the relaxed freshness from these consummate musicians.' ★★★★★ Organists' Review, December 2017(Andrew Fletcher)
®️'A considered exposé of Purcell’s still woefully under-exposed genius is always welcome, especially one as varied and intelligent as Andrew Arthur’s, with his aptly named ensemble, Orpheus Britannicus, supporting his young mixed Choir of Trinity Hall, Cambridge. The lingua franca here for Arthur is the composer’s church music – although Gallic influence is mere surface finery compared to Purcell’s extraordinarily expressive and indigenous canvas – with a representative selection of anthems and canticles neatly offset against stylishly delivered instrumental contributions. Making the most of Purcell’s deeply elegant music requires a particular sensitivity to linear shape, lyrical articulation and clarity of texture, not least in order to draw upon the pungency of the harmonic language. Arthur finds a remarkably atmospheric palette throughout, evident from the sprightly opening strains of O sing unto the Lord to the colourful and noble projections of the Te Deum, a grandiloquent conceit which translated easily from the panegyrics of William and Mary to influence Handel’s Georgian fare. Alongside these pleasingly idiomatic features, the correlation between solo verses, string interludes and the full group in these pieces makes for a profoundly consequential experience, each section organically emerging from the last. Arthur never forces the pace or engages in quick-win mannerisms. The Bell Anthem is a case in point, where its lightly cascading opening (an almost Newtonian musical metaphor) sets the scene with an easy nonchalance, gradually injected with its delicious blend of inward reflection and balletic fervour...Of the other pieces, relish Arthur’s own playing of the mesmerising Voluntary and the bittersweet pearls of the great G minor Chacony. Jehova, quam multi sunt, that most exquisite creation by a teenager, is afforded just the right balance between abstract wonder and rhetorical purpose. With this kind of expert control and youthful responsiveness, the poignancy of the music should penetrate the hardest of hearts. The recorded sound is outstanding.'Gramophone, August 2017 (Jonathan Freeman-Attwood)
'...music-making of the highest professional standard... I have no hessitation in giving it my warmest recommendation.' Cathedral Music, March 2018
'Delightful'Lark Reviews, July 2017'
‘What a glorious CD. I was riveted from the first bar. There is no attempt to gild the lily. Andrew Arthur allows the music to speak for itself, which it does most eloquently. Ensemble is paramount. Solos are provided ‘in choir’ with no ego. Do buy this wonderful disc, and enjoy the relaxed freshness from these consummate musicians.' ★★★★★ Organists' Review, December 2017(Andrew Fletcher)
®️'A considered exposé of Purcell’s still woefully under-exposed genius is always welcome, especially one as varied and intelligent as Andrew Arthur’s, with his aptly named ensemble, Orpheus Britannicus, supporting his young mixed Choir of Trinity Hall, Cambridge. The lingua franca here for Arthur is the composer’s church music – although Gallic influence is mere surface finery compared to Purcell’s extraordinarily expressive and indigenous canvas – with a representative selection of anthems and canticles neatly offset against stylishly delivered instrumental contributions. Making the most of Purcell’s deeply elegant music requires a particular sensitivity to linear shape, lyrical articulation and clarity of texture, not least in order to draw upon the pungency of the harmonic language. Arthur finds a remarkably atmospheric palette throughout, evident from the sprightly opening strains of O sing unto the Lord to the colourful and noble projections of the Te Deum, a grandiloquent conceit which translated easily from the panegyrics of William and Mary to influence Handel’s Georgian fare. Alongside these pleasingly idiomatic features, the correlation between solo verses, string interludes and the full group in these pieces makes for a profoundly consequential experience, each section organically emerging from the last. Arthur never forces the pace or engages in quick-win mannerisms. The Bell Anthem is a case in point, where its lightly cascading opening (an almost Newtonian musical metaphor) sets the scene with an easy nonchalance, gradually injected with its delicious blend of inward reflection and balletic fervour...Of the other pieces, relish Arthur’s own playing of the mesmerising Voluntary and the bittersweet pearls of the great G minor Chacony. Jehova, quam multi sunt, that most exquisite creation by a teenager, is afforded just the right balance between abstract wonder and rhetorical purpose. With this kind of expert control and youthful responsiveness, the poignancy of the music should penetrate the hardest of hearts. The recorded sound is outstanding.'Gramophone, August 2017 (Jonathan Freeman-Attwood)
'...music-making of the highest professional standard... I have no hessitation in giving it my warmest recommendation.' Cathedral Music, March 2018
'Delightful'Lark Reviews, July 2017'
2016
CD Recording ' The Young J.S. Bach'
'Andrew Arthur is a very fine musician and his registration and tempos throughout this truly fascinating selection has educational as well as musically satistying aspects to make this one of the most significant issues of Bach's organ music to have come my way for a long time.' ★★★★★ The Organ, November 2016 - January 2017 '...an organ of rarified conceptual coherence. Andrew Arthur, Director of Music at Trinity Hall, plays with a rhetorical subtlety and grace, and with a touch vocabulary always appropriate for challenging and revealing acoustics....this is a release of admirable quality.'★★★★ Choir & Organ, November / December 2016
'...astute and authoritative musicianship...this production takes a special place in the Bach discography. For many listeners, Bach's chorale settings on these discs will be new, given their relatively recent discovery. With Andrew Arthur's impeccable touch and grace, they could be no better advocated than they are here.' MusicWeb International, March 2017
'This welcome release presents the ‘Neumeister chorales’ in lovely performances to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of this organ. Providing added variety this well-structured 2 CD release places a number of other contrasting works to punctuate the collection.' Lark Reviews, October 2016
'Andrew Arthur is a very fine musician and his registration and tempos throughout this truly fascinating selection has educational as well as musically satistying aspects to make this one of the most significant issues of Bach's organ music to have come my way for a long time.' ★★★★★ The Organ, November 2016 - January 2017 '...an organ of rarified conceptual coherence. Andrew Arthur, Director of Music at Trinity Hall, plays with a rhetorical subtlety and grace, and with a touch vocabulary always appropriate for challenging and revealing acoustics....this is a release of admirable quality.'★★★★ Choir & Organ, November / December 2016
'...astute and authoritative musicianship...this production takes a special place in the Bach discography. For many listeners, Bach's chorale settings on these discs will be new, given their relatively recent discovery. With Andrew Arthur's impeccable touch and grace, they could be no better advocated than they are here.' MusicWeb International, March 2017
'This welcome release presents the ‘Neumeister chorales’ in lovely performances to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of this organ. Providing added variety this well-structured 2 CD release places a number of other contrasting works to punctuate the collection.' Lark Reviews, October 2016
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J.S. Bach - Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, Sunset Center, Carmel, California, 2016
'[Andrew Arthur's] performance was, as usual, on a very high level of technical and musical mastery.'
Peninsula Reviews, July 19, 2016
2015
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, Sunset Center, Carmel, California, 2015
'...the brilliant and seamless performance of Andrew Arthur on the harpsichord [...]
one of the highlights of the concert'Peninsula Reviews, July 29, 2015
J.S. Bach - St John Passion, Good Friday, Church of St Nicholas, ArundelThe Hanover Band & Chorus, Director: Andrew Arthur
'Andrew Arthur very skilfully directed this performance from the chamber organ...a sublime blend of voices...immaculate in every way...technically and emotionally outstanding' West Sussex County Times, April 9, 2015
'Andrew Arthur very skilfully directed this performance from the chamber organ...a sublime blend of voices...immaculate in every way...technically and emotionally outstanding' West Sussex County Times, April 9, 2015
2014
CD Recording ' The Trinity Hall Harpsichord'
'An invigorating full chorus and superb buff stop add panache to a programme of Bach, Böhm, Purcell, François Couperin, Handel and Maurice Greene. Much credit goes to Trinity Hall Music Director Andrew Arthur, whose relationship with time is loose in the best way, as heard in the stylus phantasticus opening and plaintive recitative of Bach’s massive Toccata in D minor, BWV 913 that precedes the fireworks finale. The three Grounds of Purcell are enthralling in their inviting sense of dance, cantabile melodic freedom, and spotless, tasteful ornamentation, the lattermost pervading this thrilling inaugural recording on a lovely instrument.' Early Music, November 2014
'An invigorating full chorus and superb buff stop add panache to a programme of Bach, Böhm, Purcell, François Couperin, Handel and Maurice Greene. Much credit goes to Trinity Hall Music Director Andrew Arthur, whose relationship with time is loose in the best way, as heard in the stylus phantasticus opening and plaintive recitative of Bach’s massive Toccata in D minor, BWV 913 that precedes the fireworks finale. The three Grounds of Purcell are enthralling in their inviting sense of dance, cantabile melodic freedom, and spotless, tasteful ornamentation, the lattermost pervading this thrilling inaugural recording on a lovely instrument.' Early Music, November 2014
Solo Organ Recital, Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel Bach Festival, 2014
'Arthur's understanding shone through the whole program, demonstrating his mastery of virtuosic display and his perceptive intellect as he explored the labyrinths of Baroque polyphony for a highly appreciative audience.' Peninsula Reviews, July 21, 2014
'Arthur's understanding shone through the whole program, demonstrating his mastery of virtuosic display and his perceptive intellect as he explored the labyrinths of Baroque polyphony for a highly appreciative audience.' Peninsula Reviews, July 21, 2014
2013
CD Recording: 'The Trinity Hall Harpsichord'
'Arthur plays with poise and vigor. He has created a comprehensive document of this new beautiful instrument that Trinity Hall will surely be proud of.' American Record Review, May/June 2013
'Arthur plays with poise and vigor. He has created a comprehensive document of this new beautiful instrument that Trinity Hall will surely be proud of.' American Record Review, May/June 2013
CD Recording: 'Exultate Deo'
'This CD is a delight [...] The excellent accompanist is Andrew Arthur. I remember giving a very favourable review of a recital he gave at All Saints, Margaret Street: the quality of his playing is equally evident in this CD.' Organists' Review, June 2013 (Richard Popple)
'This CD is a delight [...] The excellent accompanist is Andrew Arthur. I remember giving a very favourable review of a recital he gave at All Saints, Margaret Street: the quality of his playing is equally evident in this CD.' Organists' Review, June 2013 (Richard Popple)
2012
CD Recording: 'The Trinity Hall Harpsichord'
'This mixed programme of well-known works has been well chosen to put the new Trinity Hall harpsichord, constructed by Andrew Garlick after Goujon, through its paces. It also presumably includes Andrew Arthur's own personal favourites. He certainly revels in the music which is played with panache and a good sense of the various styles involved. The harpsichord proves itself a versatile instrument, full-blooded in the outer movements of the Italian Concerto and the other big pieces, subtle and singing on the single manual. A very satisfying recital of some of the best-known of all harpsichord music. Early Music Review, August 2012 (Noel O'Regan) '...stylishly played and intimately recorded'★★★★ BBC Music Magazine, November 2012 'a commendable profile of an attractive instrument...Andrew Arthur's playing is unfussy and unpretentious, simply letting the music and the harpsichord speak for themselves. He plays in a thoughtful manner, allowing the expressive moments of the music to have full effect...to end there is impassioned grandeur in Handel's Suite No. 7 in G minor' Musica Antiqua, Oct-Dec 2012 'As recorded here [the instrument] is both sonorous and subtle. Irrespective of the quality of the performances its sound is in itself a pleasure to listen to from beginning to end of this recital...Andrew Arthur has a particular affinity for the music of Bach which rightly dominates this recital...at the same time, the real highlights of the disc are the items by Böhm and Handel. The Handel, one of his “Eight Great Suites”, is given a performance of real stature and Handelian panache...Although this recital has clearly been devised largely with a view to showing the instrument to its best advantage it is worth hearing simply for the quality of the music and music-making. If like me you were told when young by elderly pianists that the harpsichord lacked the ability to inflect a musical line or to sustain notes here is eloquent proof to the contrary.' MusicWeb-International (John Sheppard) '...an extraordinary performer...in 79 minutes he ranges over both familiar and unfamiliar Baroque masterpieces, all together showing an astonishing variety of harpsichord colors and textures, recorded in close up glory. From darkly moving Couperin, through Bach, Bohm, Greene and Purcell, to a magisterial virtuosic Handel, Arthur is in full command. Brilliant execution; gorgeous sound' ★★★★★ Arkivmusic (customer review)
'This mixed programme of well-known works has been well chosen to put the new Trinity Hall harpsichord, constructed by Andrew Garlick after Goujon, through its paces. It also presumably includes Andrew Arthur's own personal favourites. He certainly revels in the music which is played with panache and a good sense of the various styles involved. The harpsichord proves itself a versatile instrument, full-blooded in the outer movements of the Italian Concerto and the other big pieces, subtle and singing on the single manual. A very satisfying recital of some of the best-known of all harpsichord music. Early Music Review, August 2012 (Noel O'Regan) '...stylishly played and intimately recorded'★★★★ BBC Music Magazine, November 2012 'a commendable profile of an attractive instrument...Andrew Arthur's playing is unfussy and unpretentious, simply letting the music and the harpsichord speak for themselves. He plays in a thoughtful manner, allowing the expressive moments of the music to have full effect...to end there is impassioned grandeur in Handel's Suite No. 7 in G minor' Musica Antiqua, Oct-Dec 2012 'As recorded here [the instrument] is both sonorous and subtle. Irrespective of the quality of the performances its sound is in itself a pleasure to listen to from beginning to end of this recital...Andrew Arthur has a particular affinity for the music of Bach which rightly dominates this recital...at the same time, the real highlights of the disc are the items by Böhm and Handel. The Handel, one of his “Eight Great Suites”, is given a performance of real stature and Handelian panache...Although this recital has clearly been devised largely with a view to showing the instrument to its best advantage it is worth hearing simply for the quality of the music and music-making. If like me you were told when young by elderly pianists that the harpsichord lacked the ability to inflect a musical line or to sustain notes here is eloquent proof to the contrary.' MusicWeb-International (John Sheppard) '...an extraordinary performer...in 79 minutes he ranges over both familiar and unfamiliar Baroque masterpieces, all together showing an astonishing variety of harpsichord colors and textures, recorded in close up glory. From darkly moving Couperin, through Bach, Bohm, Greene and Purcell, to a magisterial virtuosic Handel, Arthur is in full command. Brilliant execution; gorgeous sound' ★★★★★ Arkivmusic (customer review)
Bach - Mass in B minorSunset Cultural Center, Carmel Bach Festival, 2012
'...wonderful solo and ensemble performances by orchestra members, and by the excellent continuo organist Andrew Arthur.' Peninsular Reviews, July 15, 2012
'...wonderful solo and ensemble performances by orchestra members, and by the excellent continuo organist Andrew Arthur.' Peninsular Reviews, July 15, 2012
Handel - Organ Concerto in Bb Major, Op. 4Sunset Cultural Center, Carmel Bach Festival, 2012
'Andrew Arthur shone brightly again on the organ.'Peninsula Reviews, July 16, 2012
'Andrew Arthur shone brightly again on the organ.'Peninsula Reviews, July 16, 2012
2011
Church of All Saints, Carmel Bach Festival, 2011Toccata in D Minor for Solo Harpsichord, BWV 913
‘…a richly detailed performance with beautiful articulation and commanding virtuosity.’
Peninsula Reviews, July 201, 2011
2010
Handel - The Coronation AnthemsChurch of St Paul, Knightsbridge, London
'...it was [Andrew Arthur's] refined musicianship which shone throughout, and guaranteed that this Handel tribute was exceptional for its concentration, precision, and polish. All these qualities were also apparent in the centrally placed Bach Concerto for Harpsichord in D, for which strings from the Orpheus Britannicus orchestra played with noteworthy sensitivity and luminosity...intelligent and musically convincing...a handsome way for the Chandos Chamber Choir’s members to initiate their next 25 years of choral distinction.' Church Times, January 14, 2011
'...it was [Andrew Arthur's] refined musicianship which shone throughout, and guaranteed that this Handel tribute was exceptional for its concentration, precision, and polish. All these qualities were also apparent in the centrally placed Bach Concerto for Harpsichord in D, for which strings from the Orpheus Britannicus orchestra played with noteworthy sensitivity and luminosity...intelligent and musically convincing...a handsome way for the Chandos Chamber Choir’s members to initiate their next 25 years of choral distinction.' Church Times, January 14, 2011
A Celebration of S.S. WesleyTrinity Hall Chapel, Cambridge Orpheus Britannicus Vocal Consort, Conductor: Andrew Arthur 'splendid performances [...] wonderful sensitivity [...] beautifully judged'
British Music Society, December 2010
George Frideric Handel - Endless MelodySunset Cultural Center, Carmel Bach Festival, 2010
'Under the direction of Andrew Arthur, the evening’s concert showcased superb instrumentalists and some fine ensemble playing by members of the Festival Orchestra. In addition to conducting the orchestra, Arthur also gave us some brilliant keyboard performances throughout the evening...A master of details, Arthur’s articulation was clear, his ornamentation stylish, and his phrasing delightful as he repeatedly linked musical phrases from organ to orchestra...The Suite No. 7 in G Minor for Solo Harpsichord gave Arthur an opportunity to showcase his exceptional technical and dramatic abilities.' Peninsula Reviews, July 23, 2010
'Under the direction of Andrew Arthur, the evening’s concert showcased superb instrumentalists and some fine ensemble playing by members of the Festival Orchestra. In addition to conducting the orchestra, Arthur also gave us some brilliant keyboard performances throughout the evening...A master of details, Arthur’s articulation was clear, his ornamentation stylish, and his phrasing delightful as he repeatedly linked musical phrases from organ to orchestra...The Suite No. 7 in G Minor for Solo Harpsichord gave Arthur an opportunity to showcase his exceptional technical and dramatic abilities.' Peninsula Reviews, July 23, 2010
2009
Organ Recital, Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel Bach Festival 2009
'delightful, flawless in execution, and paced to perfection' The San Francisco Classical Voice, July 29
'delightful, flawless in execution, and paced to perfection' The San Francisco Classical Voice, July 29
CD Recording: 'The Buxtehude Influence'
'...enormous admiration for the beauties of this handsome 2006 instrument by the Danish firm of Carsten Lund...Andrew Arthur, Director of Music at Trinity Hall, brings expertise and scholarship to this repertoire. Well-selected pieces and colourful registration present the Dane in most sympathetic light - a comprehensive tour of the organ's resources into the bargain...Ever thought-provoking. Bravo!' Organists' Review, February 2009
'This new, beautifully crafted small organ provides some lovely sounds, particularly the flutes, and Andrew Arthur exploits every available combination from the 20 stops...He plays this cleverly devised programme with musicality and an excellent understanding of the music...this recording should be of interest to many...' Choir & Organ, January/Febraury 2009 (Douglas Hollick)
'...a good understanding of period performance style and technique. Bach's Fantasia in G minor and the Bach Passacaglia are given particularly fine performances, showing just what a smallish organ is capable of when played well.' Early Music Review, February 2009 (Andrew Benson-Wilson) 'Andrew Arthur is active in numerous musical endeavors as a keyboard player and conductor. His breadth of experience and musicianship is evident in these performances. His playing is energetic and strong, with clear, pronounced articulation that is flexible, expressive, and improvisatory where appropriate. His imaginative registrations are musically appropriate, often using a single stop or small combination, giving an air of intimacy. This is a fascinating, meticulously presented study of the cross pollination of two great musical minds. The American Organist, February 2010 '...scrupulously considered performances...' BBC Music Magazine, January 2009 'a fascinating and delightful pair of discs' MusicWeb-International (John Sheppard) '...spectacular...a quieter instrument than is usual with Bach and Buxtehude, but the clarity of the lines, thanks in part to intelligent registrations by organist Andrew Arthur, is unmatched. Many lovers of Baroque organ music will want to have this recording simply beacuse it sounds so different to the norm, and because it reveals both intricacies of counterpoint and small details of ornamentation.' All Music (James Mannheim)
'...enormous admiration for the beauties of this handsome 2006 instrument by the Danish firm of Carsten Lund...Andrew Arthur, Director of Music at Trinity Hall, brings expertise and scholarship to this repertoire. Well-selected pieces and colourful registration present the Dane in most sympathetic light - a comprehensive tour of the organ's resources into the bargain...Ever thought-provoking. Bravo!' Organists' Review, February 2009
'This new, beautifully crafted small organ provides some lovely sounds, particularly the flutes, and Andrew Arthur exploits every available combination from the 20 stops...He plays this cleverly devised programme with musicality and an excellent understanding of the music...this recording should be of interest to many...' Choir & Organ, January/Febraury 2009 (Douglas Hollick)
'...a good understanding of period performance style and technique. Bach's Fantasia in G minor and the Bach Passacaglia are given particularly fine performances, showing just what a smallish organ is capable of when played well.' Early Music Review, February 2009 (Andrew Benson-Wilson) 'Andrew Arthur is active in numerous musical endeavors as a keyboard player and conductor. His breadth of experience and musicianship is evident in these performances. His playing is energetic and strong, with clear, pronounced articulation that is flexible, expressive, and improvisatory where appropriate. His imaginative registrations are musically appropriate, often using a single stop or small combination, giving an air of intimacy. This is a fascinating, meticulously presented study of the cross pollination of two great musical minds. The American Organist, February 2010 '...scrupulously considered performances...' BBC Music Magazine, January 2009 'a fascinating and delightful pair of discs' MusicWeb-International (John Sheppard) '...spectacular...a quieter instrument than is usual with Bach and Buxtehude, but the clarity of the lines, thanks in part to intelligent registrations by organist Andrew Arthur, is unmatched. Many lovers of Baroque organ music will want to have this recording simply beacuse it sounds so different to the norm, and because it reveals both intricacies of counterpoint and small details of ornamentation.' All Music (James Mannheim)
2008
J.S. Bach - The Six Brandenburg Concerti, Director: Andrew ArthurSunset Cultural Center, Carmel Bach Festival, 2008
'The main event was the evening concert in the Sunset Theater. Andrew Arthur, at the harpsichord, directed members of the Festival Orchestra in all six of the assorted concertos that Johann Sebastian Bach sent to the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721...which here became the chamber music gems that Bach probably intended them to be...Throughout the concert, ensemble was excellent, to which due credit should be given to Andrew Arthur’s unobtrusive direction from the keyboard...a rich and successful concert.' The San Francisco Classical Voice, July 29, 2008
'The main event was the evening concert in the Sunset Theater. Andrew Arthur, at the harpsichord, directed members of the Festival Orchestra in all six of the assorted concertos that Johann Sebastian Bach sent to the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721...which here became the chamber music gems that Bach probably intended them to be...Throughout the concert, ensemble was excellent, to which due credit should be given to Andrew Arthur’s unobtrusive direction from the keyboard...a rich and successful concert.' The San Francisco Classical Voice, July 29, 2008
J.S. Bach - St John Passion, Good Friday, Chichester CathedralThe Hanover Band & Chorus, Director: Andrew Arthur
'Directing from the organ, Andrew Arthur successfully drew from the performers outstanding quality, both musically and dramatically. He achieved a perfect blend of sound from the chorus, soloists and band.' Chichester Observer, March 27, 2008
'Directing from the organ, Andrew Arthur successfully drew from the performers outstanding quality, both musically and dramatically. He achieved a perfect blend of sound from the chorus, soloists and band.' Chichester Observer, March 27, 2008
2007
'Splendours of the Baroque', The Hanover Band, Director: Andrew Arthur
'Directed with precision and breadth of vision by Andrew Arthur at the harpsichord...a truly musical experience which went straight to the heart.' Shrewsbury Chronicle, November 1, 2007
'Directed with precision and breadth of vision by Andrew Arthur at the harpsichord...a truly musical experience which went straight to the heart.' Shrewsbury Chronicle, November 1, 2007
Sunset Cultural Center, Carmel Bach Festival 2007
'Andrew Arthur performed the Bach Concerto for Harpsichord in A Major, BWV 1055, with five string players from the Festival Orchestra led by Elizabeth Wallfisch...Arthur’s fine musicianship and refined sense of style triumphed, especially in the lovely Adagio slow movement, where his tasteful ornamentation and embellishment were superb.' Peninsular Reviews, July 14, 2007
'Andrew Arthur performed the Bach Concerto for Harpsichord in A Major, BWV 1055, with five string players from the Festival Orchestra led by Elizabeth Wallfisch...Arthur’s fine musicianship and refined sense of style triumphed, especially in the lovely Adagio slow movement, where his tasteful ornamentation and embellishment were superb.' Peninsular Reviews, July 14, 2007
Candlelight Concerts: Violin: Elizabeth Wallfisch; Harpsichord: Andrew Arthur
Church of the Wayfarer, Carmel Bach Festival 2007
'...in the Bach Sonata in E Major for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1016, the pure violin tone of the opening adagio was delivered in a gently floating line in an intimate and personal manner. The allegro had a charming dance-tune character, and the ensuing adagio was refined and expressive. Arthur made an expert partner, the harpsichord easily heard in this setting...The most impressive collaboration of the evening came in Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Obbligato Harpsichord in A Major, BWV 1015. The andante featured sensitive responses between the players as they created a tranquil tone and mood. The virtuosic allegro was expertly delivered. Another andante was a meditative processional, and the presto was captivatingly light.' The Herald, July 25, 2007
'...in the Bach Sonata in E Major for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1016, the pure violin tone of the opening adagio was delivered in a gently floating line in an intimate and personal manner. The allegro had a charming dance-tune character, and the ensuing adagio was refined and expressive. Arthur made an expert partner, the harpsichord easily heard in this setting...The most impressive collaboration of the evening came in Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Obbligato Harpsichord in A Major, BWV 1015. The andante featured sensitive responses between the players as they created a tranquil tone and mood. The virtuosic allegro was expertly delivered. Another andante was a meditative processional, and the presto was captivatingly light.' The Herald, July 25, 2007
J.S. Bach - St John Passion, Good Friday, Chichester CathedralThe Hanover Band & Chorus, Director: Andrew Arthur
'Directing the performance from the organ, Andrew Arthur ensured a perfect blend of sound between chorus, soloists and the Hanover Band...The commanding and incisive sound of the Hanover Band Chorus far excelled what could reasonably be expected of 16 voices. This was choral singing at its very best – sensitive and brilliant.' Bognor Observer, April 12, 2007
'Directing the performance from the organ, Andrew Arthur ensured a perfect blend of sound between chorus, soloists and the Hanover Band...The commanding and incisive sound of the Hanover Band Chorus far excelled what could reasonably be expected of 16 voices. This was choral singing at its very best – sensitive and brilliant.' Bognor Observer, April 12, 2007
2006
Organ Recital, Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel Bach Festival 2006
'an impressive reading of a relentlessly energetic Bach Prelude & Fugue in G BWV 541'
Peninsula Reviews, July 17, 2006
J.S. Bach & G.F. Handel - 'Concerto Fireworks', Director: Andrew ArthurSunset Cultural Center, Carmel Bach Festival 2006
'We who are pianists wish harpsichordists would just keep their hands off our Bach “piano concertos.” But then, when someone like Andrew Arthur performs the Bach Keyboard Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052, so fantastically, with such incredible finesse and authority, well, then, sigh, we just have to admit we are beaten...Arthur’s approach to the D Minor Concerto demonstrated exceptional clarity in the musical line, clear articulation of complex rhythmic ideas, beautiful handling of ornamentation and embellishment in the slow movement, and virtuoso mastery in the fast moving final movement...he absolutely had me convinced there was no other way to perform it, so authoritative was his performance. The cadenzas in the outer movements were especially effective, and the ensemble with the strings was first rate.’
‘Also very impressive was Arthur’s performance of the opening work on the program, Handel’s Concerto Grosso, Op. 3, No. 6, in which his playing was always solid and natural, nicely stylistic and eminently satisfying.'
'During his performance of the Bach Concerto in C Minor for Two Harpsichords and Strings, BWV 1060, with Yuko Tanaka, we again heard stylish playing that was full of satisfying details. Both artists seemed perfectly comfortable in their duo roles and gave us some fine ensemble. The lovely slow movement of this concerto with the keyboards projecting the melodies against the pizzicato strings was magical.‘
'Throughout this concert Andrew Arthur could be seen seated at the harpsichord conducting the ensemble, and his quiet, modest manner on stage suggests that he is a thorough musician who truly serves the music while not drawing undue attention to himself. Well, actually, that’s not entirely true, for ultimately the fineness and stylistic integrity of each performance itself caused a light to shine brightly on his talent.’Penisula Reviews, July 20, 2006
'We who are pianists wish harpsichordists would just keep their hands off our Bach “piano concertos.” But then, when someone like Andrew Arthur performs the Bach Keyboard Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052, so fantastically, with such incredible finesse and authority, well, then, sigh, we just have to admit we are beaten...Arthur’s approach to the D Minor Concerto demonstrated exceptional clarity in the musical line, clear articulation of complex rhythmic ideas, beautiful handling of ornamentation and embellishment in the slow movement, and virtuoso mastery in the fast moving final movement...he absolutely had me convinced there was no other way to perform it, so authoritative was his performance. The cadenzas in the outer movements were especially effective, and the ensemble with the strings was first rate.’
‘Also very impressive was Arthur’s performance of the opening work on the program, Handel’s Concerto Grosso, Op. 3, No. 6, in which his playing was always solid and natural, nicely stylistic and eminently satisfying.'
'During his performance of the Bach Concerto in C Minor for Two Harpsichords and Strings, BWV 1060, with Yuko Tanaka, we again heard stylish playing that was full of satisfying details. Both artists seemed perfectly comfortable in their duo roles and gave us some fine ensemble. The lovely slow movement of this concerto with the keyboards projecting the melodies against the pizzicato strings was magical.‘
'Throughout this concert Andrew Arthur could be seen seated at the harpsichord conducting the ensemble, and his quiet, modest manner on stage suggests that he is a thorough musician who truly serves the music while not drawing undue attention to himself. Well, actually, that’s not entirely true, for ultimately the fineness and stylistic integrity of each performance itself caused a light to shine brightly on his talent.’Penisula Reviews, July 20, 2006
CD Recording: 'J.S. Bach - Organ Chorales from the Leipzig Manuscript, Vol. 1
‘…impressive...a musical rhetorical style of playing that avoids all excesses [...] clear articulation and a good sense of phrasing.' Early Music Review, April 2006 (Andrew Benson-Wilson)
'a musically gratifying presentation of these familiar masterworks…[Andrew Arthur's] solidly controlled tempos allow the music to breathe, and encourage polyphonic clarity. His precise rhythms and clear articulations are enhanced by effective agogic accents… The plenum works are imbued with vigor, while the quiet ones are expressive without being sentimental.' The Amercan Organist, February 2007 'This CD is from a performer who has certainly thought about the music at an intellectual level...Andrew Arthur's attention to detail and particularly his harmonic awareness are impressive. Tempos are carefully chosen, eschewing the temptation to race - a tendency in the performance of Baroque music that has continued far too long. [He] allows pieces such as the second setting of 'Komm Heiliger Geist' to flow naturally and spontaneously; the articulation does not advertise itself, though if you attend to that aspect, it is extremely skilled. The interspersed free organ works receive fine performances...' Organists' Review, May 2006
'...clean and precise playing which follows the letter of the score with scholarly precision and does so with well judged and highly sensible tempi. Students of Bach's organ music may find a valuable source of reference here.' The Gramophone, October 2006
‘…impressive...a musical rhetorical style of playing that avoids all excesses [...] clear articulation and a good sense of phrasing.' Early Music Review, April 2006 (Andrew Benson-Wilson)
'a musically gratifying presentation of these familiar masterworks…[Andrew Arthur's] solidly controlled tempos allow the music to breathe, and encourage polyphonic clarity. His precise rhythms and clear articulations are enhanced by effective agogic accents… The plenum works are imbued with vigor, while the quiet ones are expressive without being sentimental.' The Amercan Organist, February 2007 'This CD is from a performer who has certainly thought about the music at an intellectual level...Andrew Arthur's attention to detail and particularly his harmonic awareness are impressive. Tempos are carefully chosen, eschewing the temptation to race - a tendency in the performance of Baroque music that has continued far too long. [He] allows pieces such as the second setting of 'Komm Heiliger Geist' to flow naturally and spontaneously; the articulation does not advertise itself, though if you attend to that aspect, it is extremely skilled. The interspersed free organ works receive fine performances...' Organists' Review, May 2006
'...clean and precise playing which follows the letter of the score with scholarly precision and does so with well judged and highly sensible tempi. Students of Bach's organ music may find a valuable source of reference here.' The Gramophone, October 2006
2005
The Hanover Band - Bach Cantatas & Concerti, Arundel Festival
HANOVERIAN CONCERT TREAT'Sunday's capacity audience obviously hoped for perfection from the highly anticipated two-hour all-Bach programme. And they were not let down...The performances were presented with typical exuberance, controlled in masterly fashion from the keyboards by director Andrew Arthur.' The Littlehampton Gazette, September 1, 2005
HANOVERIAN CONCERT TREAT'Sunday's capacity audience obviously hoped for perfection from the highly anticipated two-hour all-Bach programme. And they were not let down...The performances were presented with typical exuberance, controlled in masterly fashion from the keyboards by director Andrew Arthur.' The Littlehampton Gazette, September 1, 2005
Organ Recital, Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel Bach Festival, 2005
'As a grand finale to an exemplary and highly enjoyable recital, the "Toccata and Fugue in D minor", BWV 565 was delievered with a highly intelligent and impelling sense of purpose. The combination of intensity and exuberance and the strength, majesty and conviction that demonstrated the full organ's resources were all handled with consumate skill by Arthur.' The Herald, July 20, 2005
'As a grand finale to an exemplary and highly enjoyable recital, the "Toccata and Fugue in D minor", BWV 565 was delievered with a highly intelligent and impelling sense of purpose. The combination of intensity and exuberance and the strength, majesty and conviction that demonstrated the full organ's resources were all handled with consumate skill by Arthur.' The Herald, July 20, 2005
J.S. Bach - The Six Brandenburg Concerti, Director: Andrew ArthurSunset Cultural Center, Carmel Bach Festival, 2005
'How often do we have an opportunity to hear all six Brandenburg Concerti in one evening? Well, not too often, but on Thursday evening at the Carmel Bach Festival we had precisely such an opportunity, and it was a dazzling and moving experience.' Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
'...the soloists, Andrew Arthur, harpsichord, Naomi Guy, violin and Kimberly Reighley, flute, delivered some brilliant playing. As always, when we hear this concerto, we marvel at the long and intense first movement keyboard cadenza. Andrew Arthur is the complete keyboard virtuoso and, not surprisingly, he whipped up the cadenza to a high point of excitement...his playing represents the cutting edge of our current understanding of Baroque keyboard performance practice...richly detailed and impressive indeed.' Peninsula Reviews, July 21, 2005
'How often do we have an opportunity to hear all six Brandenburg Concerti in one evening? Well, not too often, but on Thursday evening at the Carmel Bach Festival we had precisely such an opportunity, and it was a dazzling and moving experience.' Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
'...the soloists, Andrew Arthur, harpsichord, Naomi Guy, violin and Kimberly Reighley, flute, delivered some brilliant playing. As always, when we hear this concerto, we marvel at the long and intense first movement keyboard cadenza. Andrew Arthur is the complete keyboard virtuoso and, not surprisingly, he whipped up the cadenza to a high point of excitement...his playing represents the cutting edge of our current understanding of Baroque keyboard performance practice...richly detailed and impressive indeed.' Peninsula Reviews, July 21, 2005
2004
CD Recording 'Organ Music for Passiontide'
'THIS SCEPTR'D ISLE'
'...Equally cohesive is Andrew Arthur's Passiontide selection from All Saints, Margaret Street, London. The recording has no trouble in capturing the full glow of the newly restored 1910 Harrison organ. A largely French and German programme is divided by a centrally placed Howells's Psalm Prelude (Set 2, No. 1) in a performance of incandescent sensitivity. The longest work is Bach's Partita on Sei gegrüsset, for which Arthur produces a bevy of beautiful tonal Baroquetteries, proving once again that a Romantic English specification can adopt several foreign accents.' The Gramophone
'THIS SCEPTR'D ISLE'
'...Equally cohesive is Andrew Arthur's Passiontide selection from All Saints, Margaret Street, London. The recording has no trouble in capturing the full glow of the newly restored 1910 Harrison organ. A largely French and German programme is divided by a centrally placed Howells's Psalm Prelude (Set 2, No. 1) in a performance of incandescent sensitivity. The longest work is Bach's Partita on Sei gegrüsset, for which Arthur produces a bevy of beautiful tonal Baroquetteries, proving once again that a Romantic English specification can adopt several foreign accents.' The Gramophone
Music in the Round - UK Bach Tour 2004Principal Players of the Hanover Band
'The interpretation of Brandenburg Concerto No.5 was outstanding, etched into memory by the work of flautist Rachel Brown, and the mastery of harpsichordist Andrew Arthur.' Shropshire Star
'The Fifth Brandenburg, which closed the first half, provided a counterweight to the opening cantata…The players throughout showed enthusiasm tempered with brilliant ensemble technique, ably led from the harpsichord by Andrew Arthur. An evening to remember.' Shrewsbury Chronicle
'The Fifth Brandenburg Concerto contains one of the most stunning solo parts in keyboard literature, and Andrew Arthur proved a match for its demands.' The Guide, Portsmouth
'The interpretation of Brandenburg Concerto No.5 was outstanding, etched into memory by the work of flautist Rachel Brown, and the mastery of harpsichordist Andrew Arthur.' Shropshire Star
'The Fifth Brandenburg, which closed the first half, provided a counterweight to the opening cantata…The players throughout showed enthusiasm tempered with brilliant ensemble technique, ably led from the harpsichord by Andrew Arthur. An evening to remember.' Shrewsbury Chronicle
'The Fifth Brandenburg Concerto contains one of the most stunning solo parts in keyboard literature, and Andrew Arthur proved a match for its demands.' The Guide, Portsmouth
Andrew Arthur performs Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 with Principal Players of The Hanover Band
Organ Recital, Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel Bach Festival, 2004
'Organist Andrew Arthur who is the festival’s chief keyboard artist led off the day’s events with a very satisfying, well chosen and accessible all-Bach recital in the Carmel Mission.
Arthur was in his usual fine form as an assured master of the instrument. His proven ability to control the powerful modern Mission instrument is admirable and impressive. There was much virtuoso brilliance but also a finely attuned grasp of the inherent musical values of his medium.' The Herald, July 21, 2004
'Organist Andrew Arthur who is the festival’s chief keyboard artist led off the day’s events with a very satisfying, well chosen and accessible all-Bach recital in the Carmel Mission.
Arthur was in his usual fine form as an assured master of the instrument. His proven ability to control the powerful modern Mission instrument is admirable and impressive. There was much virtuoso brilliance but also a finely attuned grasp of the inherent musical values of his medium.' The Herald, July 21, 2004
2003
Organ Recital, Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel Bach Festival, 2003
'Arthur is an absolute master of his keyboard, no matter what its size (as demonstrated in the evening concert), and his control of the challenging large console in the Mission was most impressive. In a high powered program which included two Fantasias, BWV 537 and 562, the Passacaglia & Fugue, BWV 582 and six chorale preludes. he diplayed his intuitive, soundly based grasp of his instrument, making this a very enjoyable musical experience. Playing for a large audience, Arthur began with the imposing Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537. He chose a measured tone, which sounded very good in the open acoustics of the mission. The clarion passages of the fugue were very well brought out. Arthur included six chorale preludes based on Lutheran hymn tunes. Of this group, 'An Wasserflüssen Babylon' with its gently toned ornamented melodic line, was meditative and spiritual sounding. 'Schmücke dich' was another thoughtful and calm interpretation. It was very well voiced to maintain its reflective quality. Several others were bright and spirited, using the principal and reed stops. 'O Lamm Gottes' was delightfully rendered with a flutelike sweetness which made the instrument seem to sing. The Fantasia in C minor, BWV 562 had a trumpet-like opening and an imposing full organ tone, which continued with a processional quality, making for a commanding, impressive performance. The well known Passacaglia & Fugue, BWV 582 was the highpoint of the program in a monumental reading, which showed fine musical strength. There was a firm grasp of the intricate variation elements of the work. Arthur brought out brilliant tone with strong attacks and rhythms and tempi, which were always under control. It was an exemplary performance to conclude a fine concert.' The Herald, July 23, 2003
'Arthur is an absolute master of his keyboard, no matter what its size (as demonstrated in the evening concert), and his control of the challenging large console in the Mission was most impressive. In a high powered program which included two Fantasias, BWV 537 and 562, the Passacaglia & Fugue, BWV 582 and six chorale preludes. he diplayed his intuitive, soundly based grasp of his instrument, making this a very enjoyable musical experience. Playing for a large audience, Arthur began with the imposing Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537. He chose a measured tone, which sounded very good in the open acoustics of the mission. The clarion passages of the fugue were very well brought out. Arthur included six chorale preludes based on Lutheran hymn tunes. Of this group, 'An Wasserflüssen Babylon' with its gently toned ornamented melodic line, was meditative and spiritual sounding. 'Schmücke dich' was another thoughtful and calm interpretation. It was very well voiced to maintain its reflective quality. Several others were bright and spirited, using the principal and reed stops. 'O Lamm Gottes' was delightfully rendered with a flutelike sweetness which made the instrument seem to sing. The Fantasia in C minor, BWV 562 had a trumpet-like opening and an imposing full organ tone, which continued with a processional quality, making for a commanding, impressive performance. The well known Passacaglia & Fugue, BWV 582 was the highpoint of the program in a monumental reading, which showed fine musical strength. There was a firm grasp of the intricate variation elements of the work. Arthur brought out brilliant tone with strong attacks and rhythms and tempi, which were always under control. It was an exemplary performance to conclude a fine concert.' The Herald, July 23, 2003
Soloists' Spotlight - Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel Bach FestivalHandel - Concerto for Organ in G Minor, Op. 4, No. 1
'Who could ever believe that an organ concerto could be so much fun? Arthur’s precise rhythm and effortless mastery in the Allegro movement just grabbed you by the throat and never let go.' Peninsula Reviews, 23rd July, 2003
'Using the festival's own small "positif" organ, Arthur displayed exemplary technical fluidity and agility and a fine sense of humor in bringing out the bird calls in the happily chirping allegro.' The Herald, 23rd July, 2003
'Who could ever believe that an organ concerto could be so much fun? Arthur’s precise rhythm and effortless mastery in the Allegro movement just grabbed you by the throat and never let go.' Peninsula Reviews, 23rd July, 2003
'Using the festival's own small "positif" organ, Arthur displayed exemplary technical fluidity and agility and a fine sense of humor in bringing out the bird calls in the happily chirping allegro.' The Herald, 23rd July, 2003
Handel - Organ Concerti, Corona del Mar Baroque Music Festival
'Andrew Arthur returning as soloist from his fondly remembered 2001 festival appearance brought his usual precision and astute musicality.' The Orange County Register, June 24, 2003
'Andrew Arthur returning as soloist from his fondly remembered 2001 festival appearance brought his usual precision and astute musicality.' The Orange County Register, June 24, 2003
J.S. Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 5The Hanover Band, Brighton Early Music Festival
'...fine work from harpsichordist Andrew Arthur...' The Argus, May 26, 2003
'...fine work from harpsichordist Andrew Arthur...' The Argus, May 26, 2003
CD Recording: The Complete English Hymnal - Volume 7 (PRIORY RECORDS)
'I love this recording and congratulate Harry Bramma and his perfect and sympathetic organist [Andrew Arthur]...Memorable & treasurable' Sound & Vision, 2003
'The organ playing on this recording is excellent throughout' Organists’ Review, February, 2003
'I love this recording and congratulate Harry Bramma and his perfect and sympathetic organist [Andrew Arthur]...Memorable & treasurable' Sound & Vision, 2003
'The organ playing on this recording is excellent throughout' Organists’ Review, February, 2003
2002
The Mission Concert, Carmel Bach Festival
'An exquisite orchestral gem graced by Andrew Arthur’s nimble touch, Handel’s organ concerto"The Cuckoo and the Nightinglae", proved to be one of the highlights of the evening.' San Francisco Examiner, July 7, 2002
'An exquisite orchestral gem graced by Andrew Arthur’s nimble touch, Handel’s organ concerto"The Cuckoo and the Nightinglae", proved to be one of the highlights of the evening.' San Francisco Examiner, July 7, 2002
2001
Organ Recital, Church in the Forest, Pebble Beach
Carmel Bach Festival
'Arthur planned his program in the same sort of order as concerts we know the composer [Bach] performed, namely, beginning and ending with a large praeludium and inserting chorale preludes and variations between the two. The bookends to the concert demonstrated Arthur's good understanding of style, articulation, and maturity. Into the opening Prelude and Fugue in C (BWV 545), between those pieces, he cleverly inserted the slow movement of the Fifth Trio Sonata. This creation of a three-movement work, though rarely done, is an example of the way Bach used to play his music. It served as an extremely effective and interesting opener and had a stamp of individuality.
Expert Handling of Instrument
The chorale partita (a set of variations on "O Gott, du frommer Gott") that followed showed Arthur's sensitivity to phrasing and demonstrated his ability to handle the instrument's unsteady wind pressure, a common feature of 18th century organs that many modern players find awkward.' San Francisco Classical Voice, July 23, 2001
'Arthur planned his program in the same sort of order as concerts we know the composer [Bach] performed, namely, beginning and ending with a large praeludium and inserting chorale preludes and variations between the two. The bookends to the concert demonstrated Arthur's good understanding of style, articulation, and maturity. Into the opening Prelude and Fugue in C (BWV 545), between those pieces, he cleverly inserted the slow movement of the Fifth Trio Sonata. This creation of a three-movement work, though rarely done, is an example of the way Bach used to play his music. It served as an extremely effective and interesting opener and had a stamp of individuality.
Expert Handling of Instrument
The chorale partita (a set of variations on "O Gott, du frommer Gott") that followed showed Arthur's sensitivity to phrasing and demonstrated his ability to handle the instrument's unsteady wind pressure, a common feature of 18th century organs that many modern players find awkward.' San Francisco Classical Voice, July 23, 2001
Poulenc - Organ Concerto, Corona del Mar Baroque Music Festival
'At the center of the confident, colouful and engaging performance sat organist Andrew Arthur, a U.K native, who played with spirit, precision, and a keen ear for the dramatic moment. That, plus his deft pedal work and silky touch, gave a full and resonant voice to the solo passages.’ The Orange County Register, June 19, 2001
‘A long line of first-rate organists have participated in the festival. The latest is the British musician Andrew Arthur, who took the soloist’s duties in the Poulenc [concerto]….Arthur brought impressive authority and resourceful virtuosity to the part……tightly and sincerely performed.’ Los Angeles Times , June 19, 2001
'At the center of the confident, colouful and engaging performance sat organist Andrew Arthur, a U.K native, who played with spirit, precision, and a keen ear for the dramatic moment. That, plus his deft pedal work and silky touch, gave a full and resonant voice to the solo passages.’ The Orange County Register, June 19, 2001
‘A long line of first-rate organists have participated in the festival. The latest is the British musician Andrew Arthur, who took the soloist’s duties in the Poulenc [concerto]….Arthur brought impressive authority and resourceful virtuosity to the part……tightly and sincerely performed.’ Los Angeles Times , June 19, 2001
2000
Organ Recital, Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel Bach Festival
'...vibrant playing...rhythmically pristine and beautifully controlled....All the expressive devices were highly successful....magnificent clarity...a high level of musicianship' Monterey Peninsula Reviews, July 2000
'...vibrant playing...rhythmically pristine and beautifully controlled....All the expressive devices were highly successful....magnificent clarity...a high level of musicianship' Monterey Peninsula Reviews, July 2000
1999
Organ Recital, Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel Bach Festival
'Virtuosic eloquence' The Herald, July 1999
'Virtuosic eloquence' The Herald, July 1999