My Reviews
UK National Daily: The Independent:
Love's Lore Stella Dickinson,
Capital Virtuosi. Sixteen British folksongs are given virtuoso treatment by the string septet Capital Virtuosi,
rounded off to mesmerising effect by Stella Dickinson's plaintive oboe and cor anglais.
Paul Hart's arrangements are economical and fastidious, and there is a wonderful glowing nostalgia throughout. Early one Morning, Scarborough Fair, Blow the wind scoutherly and others are translucently captured and immaculately played.
(★★★★ rating)
Double Reed News:
This is a successful 'crossover' between folk music and the art music which is more usually associated with the oboe although these tracks are lightly scored, Stella Dickinson's rich, dark tone fills them admirably. This is a very pleasant disc, recommended for relaxed atmospheric listening.
Hi-Fi News:
This is music-making for all occasions,
centred around Stella's wonderful range of timbres and instrumental technique.
a peach of a disc, and John Boyden's marvellous recording makes it an immediate candidate for airplay on Classic FM and BBC Radio 3.
Bill Newman
'The Double Reed' Vol. 30 No 4. Spring 2008 The International Double Reed Society www.idrs.com Review By Robert J. Krause from
Love's Lore 16 Folk Melodies for Oboe and Strings. Stella Dickinson and Capital Virtuosi.
Loves' Lore gives the listener over an hour of beautifully arranged and beautifully performed contemporary settings of 16 Folksongs (from the British Isles). Paul Hart's arrangements are imaginative, well crafted and so very charming. They are lightly scored but that makes the lovely playing of Stella Dickinson so much more prominent. She has a wonderfully versatile style that is a sensitive, warm, plaintive and yet very forward. The range of timbres that she is capable of presenting is almost mesmerising at times. This CD is just wonderful for everyone. It will be a very nice addition to the oboists library, but I really believe that anyone would be attracted to the disc. Listening to it is such a pleasant experience. Nice music and playing. I highly recommend it.