Kulturradio RBBd. 22. Mar. 2016ByByAstrid Belschnerd. 22. Mar. 2016"Eine besondere Aufnahme des Oratoriums "Elias" von Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy ist herausgegeben worden: die Aufnahme des Abschiedskonzertes von Hans-Christoph Rademann als Chefdirigent beim Rias-Kammerchor ... Es ist eine hervorragende CD geworden. Alles ist ausgewogen und miteinander abgestimmt - die Solisten treten als ausgewogenes Quartett in Erscheinung, bei dem jeder seine Rolle ausfüllt. Das Orchester spielt inspiriert und temperamentvoll. Man spürt förmlich den Pulsschlag!".
Classical net2010ByByGerald Fenech2010"This is a welcome new recording of Mendelssohn's greatest oratorio with the German forces all on top form playing in "home" territory. Spering sets a swift and brisk tempo throughout the work although he does tend to linger over the more reflective pieces. Still from the expansive Overture right up to the final chorus, the listener is deeply engaged in this fabulous work ... this Elijah comes heartily recommended".Read review
Jyllands-postend. 28. Sep. 2012ByByJens Povlsend. 28. Sep. 2012"Udladningerne er for voldsomme, og de højstemte kor virker så overlæsede, at store dele af oratoriet for én til at gispe efter lethed og luft".Read review
Politikend. 4. Dec. 2012ByByHenrik Friis (f. 1978)d. 4. Dec. 2012"Elijah, eller Elias som profetens danske navn klinger, har strengt taget ikke meget med jul at gøre. Men det kunne han nu godt. Det er i hvert fald englesang og jubelkor og gigantisk dramatik, der ledsager Elias ... Og det lyder intet mindre end fantastisk ... Det handler om, at dirigenten Paul McCreesh tilstræber en del af det lydideal, han selv har været med til at hente op fra barokken og historiens glemsel de seneste årtier".Read review
Klassisk2012, nr. 27ByBySteen Chr. Steensen2012, nr. 27"McCreesh og hans trofaste Gabrieli Consort & Players har valgt ned til mindste detalje at rekonstruere opførelsen i Birmingham, fordi der her er mest kildemateriale at forholde sig til ... Resultatet er overvældende smukt og medrivende. McCreesh formår at fange den særlige lyse og lette klang, der præger Mendelssohns oratorium ... et touch af noget magisk og forunderligt".
BBC music magazine2012 NovemberByByRoger Nichols (musikanmelder)2012 November"Paul McCreesh envisages 'the world's largest chamber choir' that would emulate a chamber choir's extremely nuanced, coloured and articulate singing. As an aim that surely can't be faulted. But can it really be achieved with some 300 singers in Watford Town Hall? The problems arise in the linear, polyphonic choruses ... Of the soloists, Sarah Connolly sings with mellifluous tone and Simon Keenlyside is an Elijah of spirit and intelligence".
Klassisk2016, nr. 42ByByMikael Garnæs2016, nr. 42"I denne udgave får vi oratoriet på komponistens eget sprog (tysk) i en version med gamle instrumenter og tilspidset, barokopførelsespraksis-orienteret udførelse, der skræller den senromantiske tradition bort, lader værket fremstå friskt og dramatisk ... Om solisterne kan man generelt sige, at de er godt valgt uden at brillere ... Koret fra ... RIAS synger på meget højt plan".
BBC music magazine2017 MarchByByRoger Nichols (musikanmelder)2017 March"It is in every way a big, dramatic interpretation, and as such absolutely in keeping with Mendelssohn's ideal ... Nagy is a powerful, sonorous Elijah, not merely a man of God but an out-and-out demagogue ... The whole interpretation is splendidly dramatic, with wide dynamic variations and silences given full value".
Classical music2017 FebruaryByByGuy Weatherall2017 February"This fine new recording dusts any remaining cobwebs from this much-recorded piece. The ensemble brings its characteristic deftness, Hengelbrock's phrasing and colouring always insightful and apt".
Fono Forum2017 FebruarByByJohannes Schmitz2017 Februar"Empfehlungen des Monats: Lothar Odinius's nicht ganz offener, aber sehr kultivierter lyrischer Tenor, die kernige Altistin Ann Hallenberg und besonders der sinnlich strömende Sopran von Genia Kühmeier ergeben ein Quartett, das die theatralische Intention von Hengelbrocks Auffassung gut umsetzt".
Fono Forum2008 NovemberByByWerner Pfister2008 November"Hier wird vor allem chorische Gesangskultur gepflegt. Allerdings kommt über so viel Beschäftigung mit dem eigene Singen der Sinn der Worte und überhaupt die dramatische Aussage dieser Musik doch etwas zu kurz".
BBC music magazine2008 PromsByByRoger Nichols (musikanmelder)2008 Proms"One claim to authencity is met here, in that Elijah was composed to German words. Beyond that, though, authencity seems here to have given way to mere tradition ... Altogehter is gives more than a glimpse of the grand opera Mendelssohn was never to write".
Fono Forum2011 JanuarByByMarcus Stäbler2011 Januar"Trotzdem hinterlässt Sperings Aufnahme unterm Strich den stärkesren Eindruck - wegen der fast durchweg grossartigen Solisten, aber auch durch den dramatischen Zug des Ganzen".
BBC music magazine2011 SeptemberByByRoger Nichols (musikanmelder)2011 September"An orchestra rightly wedded to extremes and a chorus with high energy levels and the crispest enunciation. Wolfgang Sawallisch's speeds may be sensible, but he does his experienced best to project the psychological drama of the Old Testament story. Sadly, not all the soloists are attuned to this approach".
Fono Forum2011 AugustByByMarcus Stäbler2011 August"Michael Volle gehört sicher zu den überragenden Elias-Interpreten unserer Tage ... Das kann man kaum besser singen. Volle führt ein Ensemble mit weiteren namhaften Kollegen an, die ihm allerdings nicht ganz das Wasser reichen können ... So sind die beiden anderen Hauptrollen - Chor und Orchester nämlich - ganz hervorragend besetzt und geführt ... Dieser Elias bekommt eine ganz eigene Handschrift, die den grossen emotionalen Reichtum der Partitur enthüllt. Stark!".
The gramophone2012 NovemberByByRichard Lawrence2012 November"Vurdering: Gramophone choice" - "I'm not a fan of filmed concerts but I do wish this recording had been made for DVD, as the performance at the Proms that preceded it was a visual knockout as well as an aural one ... All the authenticity in the world is of no use unless the performance takes wing. This one certainly does ... The sound is massive when required, but the articulation is never unwieldy and there is delicacy too ... Simon Keenlyside is more impressive than he was in Albert Hall ... Sarah Connolly and Rosemary Joshua are both excellent. From the ... opening to the final 'Amen', this is a triumph".
International record review2012 OctoberByByRobert Matthew-Walker2012 October"In short, McCreesh has succeeded admirably in re-creating, as clearly as possible, the kind of impact this masterpiece must have made at its first performance".
The gramophone2016 JuneByByPeter Quantrill2016 June"Perhaps Rademann is less concerned than Herreweghe to pull out the many felicities of Mendelssohn's original orchestration - trombones play a largely supporting role in the big choruses - but he is more prepared to cultivate legato phrases, which impart to the concerted vocal numbers a flow as smooth as the brook of Kidron itself".
The gramophone2017 MarchByByPeter Quantrill2017 March"The cooperation of choir and orchestra is the performance's most distinctive feature ... When they step out for trios and quartets, individual members of the choir sing with strikingly pure tone ... though none of them quite matches the astonishing treble of Gabriel Böer ... This Elijah has much in its favour without staking a claim as definitive".
The gramophone2008 AugustByByJohn Steane2008 August"I found it one of the best performances, I have heard, a measure for this being the absence of that customary feeling of there being some falling-off in the second half of Part 2 and that a chorus (or two) less would not come amiss".
The gramophone2011 SeptemberByByRichard Lawrence2011 September"Wolfgang Sawallisch is in complete command ... The chorus and orchestra are the real stars of the performance. The former are fullthroated when required but capable of delicacy ... The orchestra impresses with noble brass ... What is regrettably missing is the organ, to lend weight to the choruses. Michael Volle is an authoritative Elijah ... If you are happy with the German, this lively version will afford much pleasure".