Music-Web (Dec. 2003): Four virile and beautiful concertos. (…) I would want as many people as possible to hear this music which is cut from the finest imaginative cloth of the last century.

Rob Barnett

Radio-Dialogue Marseille ( Dec. 2003): A splendid offering featuring magnificent musicians who give the genius of Tomasi, the Master Symphonist, an artist who belonged completely to his era and yet was totally free of its modes and conventions, the means to express itself fully.

Jacques Bonnadier

Le Figaro (Jan., 22, 2004): This musician is anything but a ‘minor master’. While the Marseillais is elegant and charming (…), he is haunted by violence, and his music expresses this. These preliminary recordings from four decades ago still set the standard. They should delight you thoroughly.

Christian Merlin

 

Le Journal de la Corse (Jan., 23, 2004): With Henri Tomasi, the edges of the Mediterranean become boundless. He was indisputably one of ours.

Vincent Azamberti

Corse-Hebdo (Feb.- 06-2004): Ulysses’ journey, inspired by enchanting melodies, takes place within a subtle compromise between restraint and wildness, emotion and virtuosity. (…) A music filled with images, like a voyage to the very ends of the earth. (…) Daring, diversity and conviction.

Eliane Marchi

Centre-France (Feb.-22-2004): An intense music, contrasted and pregnant, that exploits dissonance like a jeweler cuts a diamond to burst with fire (…). The chromatic extravagance is crossed with rhythmic enchantments… the vocabulary is staggeringly rich… One can not claim to know or love music if one is not familiar with Tomasi.

Roland Duclos

Le Monde de la Musique (March-2004): The frankness of his musical inspiration, the clarity of his writing and the concision of his expression are illustrated here by four concertos that belong to his great successes. (…) This work introduces us into Henri Tomasi’s universe in the finest, most convincing way possible.

Jean Roy

 

Diapason (March-2004): The zeal of the French soloist elite is worthy of the enthusiasm, tenderness and vehemence of the Corsican composer. A perfect introduction to his generous, protean art (…). The evocative, arresting music only shares its secrets if one hears it again and again.

Jérôme Bastianelli

La Marseillaise (March-2004): A powerful, lyrical opus… Because he is both conductor and composer, [Tomasi] masters subtle orchestrations and the distinctive approach that compels instrumental groups to express themselves … Art that is passionate and profound… Four fragments of a generous, sun-drenched work worthy of a luminous role under the spotlights.

Jacques Freschel

Res Musica. com  (March-21-2004): The Ballade pour harpe, an amusing, pleasant piece of music, is remarkably well-composed (…) While reference to the Celtic instrument is evident, this is no mere folk tale: the story is told through discreet modal, melodic allusion and diaphanous accompaniment. – In the Concerto pour flûte, the finale is once again unbridled – even orgiastic – because the orchestral tone is so very vivid. The concerto pour saxophone is one of the major compositions in this instrument’s repertoire. Here again, the orchestration is dazzling and lush (…) Once more, the slow movement is a nocturne filled with short and repeated melodic-rhythmic patterns that create a bewitching sensation. The predictably impressive finale is of a quasi-Dionysian virtuosity.

Maxime Kaprielian