Reviewed in Gramophone Oct issue: "Another excellent survey of contemporary organ music performed by Kevin Bowyer... Gorecki's dissonant, confrontational Kantata that seems to condense many of the compositional techniques of the late 1960s, from which it dates, into its 15-minute duration."

John W. Lambert reviewed these two discs in Fanfare Sep/Oct issue by legendary cellist du Pre and recommends them "for those who do not yet know these renditions."

A reissue of the piano concerto recorded by Pollini in 1960 when he was 18 and just won the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw and a reissue of 2 Nocturnes recorded in 1970 "so we get to experience Pollini's noble, controlled, expressive readings of those important pieces." Michael Ullman continues, "Excellent performance...I have to imagine that every Chopin lover will want these performances." [Fanfare Sep/Oct 2001]

According to Charles Timbrell (Fanfare Sep/Oct/2001) Lipatti's "recording of the Chopin Sonata remains one of the greatest recordings ever made of it, simplicity, directness, and unforced virtuosity meld naturally and perfectly throughout the four movements, as they were said to do in Chopin's own performances."

There are two reviews of this recording. Raymond Tuttle (Fanfare Sep/Oct) says, "It's Want List Material for sure." He compares it to two other recordings of the same works (one Hungarian; one Czech), but prefers these "Polish performances, by musicians who have proven their worth many times, over, seem definitive to me." The Beatus Vir was dedicated to Pope John Paul II who was present at the premiere in Poland, where it "was a phenomenal success...there's no reason why it shouldn't remain so." The Second Symphony was commissioned by the Kosciuszko Foundation of New York to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Copernicus's death, opens with an onslaught that is unimaginable coming from the composer of the "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs...The first movement presents a deafening 'mechanism of the world,' as one commentator has described it. Gorecki seems to be depicting the horror of the Polish asronomer's discovery that, in effect, what Western civilization had been told for centuries about the cosmos was wrong...the Second Symphony is an important work, and it ultimately needs to be appreciated on its own terms, not in the shadow of its successor."

There is a difference of opinion in a second review. In the Sep/Oct issue of American Record Guide, critic Allen Gimbel is not as impressed with this CD. Although he believes that "Gorecki produces music of elevated beauty and memorable profundity. It's a long haul to get there, but its worth the effort," he is not enthusiastic about the performers "the soloists are undistinguished (the soprano less than), the choirs provincial and sonics boxy and devoid of the required resonance."

Jack Sullivan writes "Canadian composer who grew up in Poland is a post-modernist in the most precise sense...for anyone interested in contemporary symphonic music in the grand manner, this album is not to be missed."

"Each of these trios is beautiful, shapely, deeply expressive - and wonderfully brought to life by the Trio Cracovia's superb performances and Accord's gorgeous recorded sound. Don't be put off by the unusual repertoire: this is a disc for those who love Faure's Piano Quartets, Ravel's Trio, and the Piano Quintets of Bloch and Piston, and are looking for further treasures of this exalted realm." Mark L. Lehman (American Record Guide, Sep/Oct 2001).

David Moore highly recommends them in The American Record Guide. "The two violinists are excellent; they play with conviction and manage to maintain interest through a demanding program replete with dissonance in folk style."

Amir is the 13-year old son of Marat. Joseph Magil reviews this father and son performance of 19th and 20th century virtuosic violin works. This recording is of importance to me because it includes a rare recording of Grazyna Bacewicz "delightful" Folk Dances for two violins and the youthful soloist gives a splendid rendition of Wieniawski's Polonaise in D, which according to the critic is "exciting in spots, and Amir clearly has the right feel for this sort of exhibitionist music." Magil concludes "I must say that Amir sounds like he has promise."

Reviewed by Steven J. Haller in The American Record Guide. Collins Classics began a series of Scharwenka recordings in 1992, followed by another in 1997 with Seta Tanyel's performance of Scharwenka's First Piano Concerto. The review also informs that the soloist in this disc is female, despite her first name. Haller continues: "That the music itself is very much worth looking into was never in doubt. We described the First Concerto as `one of the glories of the late-romantic era, an exhilarating celebrationn of what the piano can really sound like when a skilled virtuoso-composer produces a brilliant vehicle aimed at nothing more (or less) than the pure enjoyment of soloist and audience.' This is effusive, heart-on-sleeve keyboard writing of a type that seems embarrassing to composers today, many of whom apparently feel lush melody and lavish color must be avoided at all cost. Indeed, Liszt (who knew a thing or two about the keyboard) called the concerto `a remarkable addition to pianoforte music' and gratefully acknowledged Scharwenka's dedication to him, playing it to great acclaim in Berlin and in turn setting the stage for the composer's own enthusiastically welcomed recitals in London."

Alexander Morin calls it "an admirable debut disc." "Young Jonathan Bass is more than just another of the mechanically perfect prize winners we hear so often these days; essentially romantic in approach, he combines a secure technique with considerable musical understanding and taste in this varied and demanding program." (The American Record Guide).

Alexander Morin also reviews this CD and identifies Neuhaus as "primarily remembered as a teacher (Richter and Tilels were among the students who revered him). Although " Rubinstein has long set my standard for this music...at least, at this moment, just after listening to it, I'm tempted to say this is the most beautiful Chopin playing I've ever heard, unparalleled in its naturalness and spontaneity, its exquisitely nuanced rubato and colors, its combination of lyricism and strength." He concludes, " These recordings were made between 1946 and 1953 in good sound, and they shouldn't be missed."

KD: More than ninety percent of my time is spent writing contemporary 'serious' or classical music. However, the pop songs and film music that I write often overshadow the output of my real activity. The fact that I have composed a new symphonic work - which can take several months to write - is only interesting to several hundred people. On the other hand, a pop song that I can write in only ten minutes becomes known to millions.

JH: Do you feel any resentment or jealousy on the part of your colleagues on your ability to crossover so many musical styles and be so successful in each one?

KD:I don't get that kind of feeling among most musicians. I feel respected among composers of film and pop music for the pieces I have written. Sometimes, though, there is a feeling of not being accepted among serious music composers in Poland - a feeling that I have overstepped my boundaries and intruded into their territory.

JH: Rumor has it that you are writing your opus magnus - an opera based on Sienkiewicz's Quo vadis? Were you commissioned to write this opera and when and where can we expect to see this opera produced?

KD:That's right - except that I have already completed the opera, which I wrote on my own incentive - without having had anyone commission it from me. You could say the work has been "self-sponsored." The money I make from my film scores affords me the time to spend writing the kind of classical music that I myself want to write. It will be a while before the opera is actually produced because of the release of the new Polish film version of 'Quo vadis?' which came out this autumn. I think it would be wise to wait a year or two before thinking of staging it.

JH: You have American feathers in your cap as well: Downbeat Magazine naming you one of the top ten jazz violinists back in 1985 and then Canadian Film Academy nominating you for a Genie Award for your film The Young Magician. Have you performed in North America recently and do you have any American musical experiences that you could share with us?

KD:This past summer I took part in the Mark O'Conner Fiddle Conference at Nazarene University at Point Loma in San Diego, California, where I was on the faculty. It was an amazing experience to work with and listen to several hundred violinists who played is so many various styles - jazz, classical, country, folk, old timer - and who practiced and performed around the clock for an entire week.

JH: In addition to your opera Quo vadis?, what are some of your other most recent compositions?

KD:Most recently, in October, I had the premiere of my 'Third Violin Concerto', which was performed at the Henryk Wieniawski Competition in Poznan, by Daniel Stabrawa, a Pole who is the concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

JH: Where can our readers listen to your music in Warsaw during November?

KD:Unfortunately, my ballet music (La dolce vita), which is performed at the Teatr Wielki, or my incidental music to Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at Warsaw's Teatr Polski won't be playing during November. However, the first recording of my classical music will be released this month by the Koch International Records and will be available in Polish music shops as well. The recording will include my 'Double Violin and Viola Concerto' performed by violinist Tomasz Tomaszewski and violist Andrei Gridchuk - both of them are first chair players of the Deutches Oper in Berlin. Both play on instruments made by Stradivarius - Tomaszewski on the King George Stradivarius and Grydchuk on a Stradivarius that once belonged to Gustav Mahler. The other work on my classical CD will feature my 'Flute Concerto' played by the American flautist Katherine DeJongh. The orchestra on the recording is the Slupsk Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Bohdan Jarmolowicz. I should add that even though this is a provincial orchestra - they, nonetheless, received a nomination at last year's Grammy Awards.