“(…) pianist Bax was impressive. This relatively young artist eschewed overly dramatic gestures of the crowd-pleasing sort and channeled all his considerable energy into the music, demonstrating complete mastery of the demanding writing.”
–Cleveland.com
Read More“Bax is a true storyteller, using the piano as his voice, and Gabetta reminds us through these selections why the cello was created – as an instrument of raw emotion to reflect our own capacity for feeling. This concert was a wonderful showcase of two talented artists.”
–The Independent
Read More“Throughout the evening, pianist Bax proved an inspired partner for Bell. The two ably prodded each other, especially in the night's sonatas. In the Brahms, particularly, Bax's account of the keyboard part was notable for its tonal warmth and excellent textural balance.”
–Telegram
Read More“Bax found plenty of poetry in the work [Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 14 “Moonlight”] and capped it with quite a stormy finale. (…) Pictures at an Exhibition is a virtuoso piece in its piano form, full of many moods including some spooky passages. Virtuosity and variety were strongly present in Bax’s interpretation, which ended with a grand Great Gate of Kiev.”
–Star Telegram
Read More“Bax wisely eschewed extensive rubato in the first movement [Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 14 “Moonlight”], marked Adagio sostenuto, instead creating a dignified, elegant sustained line. He attacked the thorny third movement, marked Presto agitato, at a breakneck clip, but Bax is a musician with technique up to the task.”
–Theater Jones
Read More“Bax gave it [Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 31, No. 1 in A major, Op. 110] a sensitive and insightful performance. (…) The majestic fugal section in the last movement was played with great clarity and the entrance of the subject in octaves in the bottom of the instrument was an awe-inspiring sound. It was fascinating to hear him boldly step forward in this solo appearance and then return to the collaborator a moment later.”
–Theater Jones
Read More“Bax’s bracing prestidigitation was evident in the strongly projected playing of the declarative solo that begins the work [Barber’s Piano Concerto], and even more in the explosive later cadenza and his consistently fast and accurate passagework. Yet the soloist was also able to relax into the more lyrical sections, with some affecting phrasing in the Canto middle movement. (…) Bax racheted up the power and velocity in the virtuosic final section, making the sparks fly in a combustible coda.”
–Chicago Classical Review
Read More“Bax had the measure of this knuckle-busting virtuoso piece [Barber’s Piano Concerto]. His winning account combined youthful bravura in the outer movements with an innate feel for the ebb and flow of melody in the central Canzone: Not even wailing fire trucks on nearby Michigan Avenue could mar his concentration. His fingerwork was incisive without degenerating into pounding, and the torrent of pianistic energy he unleashed in the explosive, toccata-like finale kicked up tremendous excitement. Let's have him back.”
–Chicago Tribune
Read More"Closing the program was Mr. Bax’s tastefully enhanced interpretation of “La Valse” by Ravel: less mordant than richly opulent, rising from Stygian gloom into a gaudy efflorescence, with glissandos that whistled as if no touch were involved."
–New York Times
Read More“Ukrainian-born violist Maxim Rysanov was the fiercely committed soloist in the concerto, giving a performance of fearsome focus and intensity from untold sorrow through fury to – well, perhaps resignation, perhaps transcendence. He’s a breathtakingly perceptive, charismatic player, taking the audience with him on every note of his turbulent journey.”
–Scotsman (5 stars), 2017
Read More“Superb player Maxim Rysanov gave the Scottish premiere performances of ... Latvian composer Peteris Vasks. The Ukrainian musician has been garlanded by awards and has a bowing technique is captivatingly graceful to watch as well as listen to.”
–Herald Scotland, 2017
Read More“Agile, expressive and with a mastery of line and dynamics, Rysanov is a prince among viola players, and this is one of his finest albums to date.”
–Gramophone (Rob Cowan) (CD review of "In Schubert's Company"), 2017
Read More“I fell in love with the incredibly beautiful sound of his instrument. In his playing I could feel an uncommonly high emotional tension.”
–Pēteris Vasks (composer), 2016
Read More“In his solos, Rysanov showed great musical challenges playing extended cadenzas… I really enjoyed the Slavic passion and dramatic pauses in his solos that provided a certain atmosphere. After the fast finale, full of almost non-stop polyphony for the viola, both Rysanov and Joost were embraced by the audience.”
–Bachtrack (Par Olli Lehtonen), 2016
Read More“Maxim Rysanov is the kind of musician who can do the musical equivalent of reading from the phone book and making it exciting.”
–American Record Guide (Joseph Magil), 2015
Read More“Words to describe Rysanov's passionate and penetrating performances don't come easily. He is, of course, the main character on stage in all four works on the program, but Sitkovetsky astonishes with his dazzling playing in the duos(..)”
–Fanfare (Jerry Dubins), 2015
Read More“Maxim Ryasnov's seductive viola in late works by Martinu would grace any sensible Want List.”
–Fanfare (Phillip Scott), 2015
Read More“Maxim Rysanov's radiant viola playing catches the Bohemian spirit that runs through his Martinu programme.”
–The Gramophone (Adrian Edwards), 2015
Read More“Rysanov's golden song carries us through to another perfect peace.”
–BBC Music Magazine (David Nice), 2015
Read More