“Rui Lopes also shows himself to be the eloquent and sure performer on his instrument, articulating with ease and elegant tone his voice with deep timbre and warmth with elegance with which he is not stingy. At the same time, he maintains a stirring naturalness of expression.”
“You can’t get enough of such unheard stuff.”
– Supersonic Award – Pizzicato, Uwe Krusch
“Rui Lopes is a highly virtuoso and expressive master of his instrument and scores here with rare chamber music in the most diverse ways with colors and expressive characters…And Rui Lopes understands in a truly fascinating way to stand up for his instrument, to endear it in all its tonal valeurs. But how does he succeed in this? First, with his stupendous technical ability and with playful conviction to find the right approach in each case. But then the choice of works is also impressive…”
“A journey into unheard-of regions. Recommendation!”
– Fono Forum, Michael Kube
“The richly gifted bassoonist Rui Lopes presents a deliciously varied and entertaining sample of his art in this recording of concertos by Mozart and Vivaldi and works for bassoon and string orchestra: Villa-Lobos’s rustic “Ciranda das Sete Notas,” Jean Françaix’s bubbling “Divertissement” and Elgar’s “Romance” in a luscious arrangement by Mr. Lopes.”
– The New York Times, Fonseca-Wollheim
“In harmony with the cultivated and delicate accompanying English Chamber Orchestra the soloist Rui Lopes convinces with energy and inspiration, both for the demanding instrumental passages as well as the sensational rich lyrical statements…With this recording, he will surely convince not only the bassoon world, but also a broader audience of his gifts and abilities.”
– das Orchester, Alfred Rinderspacher
“The result demonstrates enormous technical skills and an extraordinary versatility. The recording, which was made in the Zurich studio of Swiss Radio, also leaves nothing to be desired in terms of sound.”
– Klassikheute, Antje Rößler
“A beautiful overview of the diverse possibilities of the bassoon, which Rui Lopes masters through and through with sovereignty. His playing is as cantabile as it is virtuosic, it has wit and possesses elegance.”
– Rondo, Michael Blümke
“Lopes’ interpretation does something important – it makes one listen with new ears and to question one’s own often long-held traditions and opinions about how this music should go. It raises new possibilities and opens new doors that many performers never knew existed.”
“…our soloist maintains a vivacity and clarity of sound that propels the music through its multiple scenes and leaves the listener at the end feeling refreshed.”
– IDRS Magazine, Ryan Romine
“Rejoice at this fantastic new release, from star bassoonist Rui Lopes. An array of new works and arrangements for the surprisingly gorgeous pairing of bassoon and string quartet…well worth checking out. Lopes, such a magnificent bassoonist. And it’s so much fun, the varied repertoire on that release!
-RTÉ lyric fm, Liz Nolan
“This remarkable anthology comes from Rui Lopes, a highly musical and virtuoso bassoonist whom the English Chamber Orchestra accompany most sensitively…”
– Gramophone, Ivan March
“There is an engaging rarity in Villa-Lobos’s Ciranda das sete notas…”
“Lopes plays with pleasing, well-rounded tone, great presence (maybe helped by microphone placings?)… with the English Chamber Orchestra responding alertly to the soloist’s direction throughout, this disc makes a good case for the bassoon as a solo instrument.”
– BBC Music Magazine, Anthony Burton
“It’s a treat from the first to the last track on the disc. The playing of Portuguese bassoonist is extremely elegant, intelligent, delicate and above all, perfectly in the stile from each one the composers he selected. I loved it!”
– France Musique, Gaëlle le Gallic
“He makes this instrument do whatever needs to be done, and more. Together with the English Chamber Orchestra, he creates lyric poetry, dry humor, passionate longing, dance tableaux—you name it. […] Music by Villa-Lobos, Jean Françaix, Mozart, Vivaldi, and Elgar (who was himself a bassoonist in his youth). Produced by Andrew Keener, engineered by Simon Eadon. Perfect balances, “presence,” imaging. Just enough hall in the sound to give it life. Close miking, but no dramatic inhalations or chronic sinusitis in evidence.
I loved this recording. Lopes, ably abetted by the ECO and its concertmaster Stephanie Gonley, ably makes a case for himself as the Joshua Bell of his instrument. Actually, it’s quite clear that he is the Rui Lopes of his instrument! Strongly recommended.”
– PS Audio, Dr. Lawrence Schenbeck
“Through Time runs from Vivaldi through Mozart to the 20th century, the last well represented by a trio of works. But what’s impressive is not simply the breadth of the program but Lopes’ facility in a great variety of bassoon sounds. He excels in the bruising virtuosity of Vivaldi’s Bassoon Concerto in C major, RV 472, the delicate melodicism of the young Mozart, the broad conceits of the little-known Romance for bassoon and orchestra, Op. 62, by Elgar, and the gentle exoticism of Villa-Lobos. The biggest attraction is a work by the sorely underrated neo-classicist Jean Françaix. Hear the soaring slow movement of his Divertissement for bassoon and string orchestra, and Lopes’ perfectly controlled treatment.”
– All Music, James Manheim
