"...Orion Weiss plays the Concerto with great panache and draws a depth of sound out of the piano that makes it almost sound like Rachmaninov in places. His rhythms are crisp and poised and the contrasts with the calmer more retrospective passages are well handled... Well worth a listen."

James Norris - Audiophilia.com - 27 February 2012

"...A real treat of a performance, even for those who have their Previn and their Wild."

Brian Reinhart - MusicWeb-International.com - 25 May 2012

"...If we have to have yet another recording of Gershwin’s Piano Concerto, there are things to admire in this one. Orion Weiss never engages in the kind of exaggeration which some pianists have used to define their identity and his dry rhythmic delivery is thoroughly idiomatic... In the Adagio ... Weiss is perky ...in the faster middle section ...the orchestra serves him well, with a fulsome tam-tam just before the last climax, not an apologetic ping as in some recordings...it is exploratory Gershwin as he moves towards Porgy and Bess, with
greater harmonic resource, vivid orchestration and better continuity…All these pieces get snappy performances in well-balanced, clear recordings: an enjoyable collection."

Peter Dickinson - Gramophone magazine - May 2012

"...these new, thoroughly idiomatic recordings are very welcome. The music may not be quite as snappy as the better known Rhapsody, but all the usual jaunty Gershwin trademarks are there, as, indeed, they are in the foot-tapping variations on I Got Rhythm. The mp3 transfer sounds fine and the notes are short but to the point. This is one of those recordings that you know are going to be excellent right from the start."

Brian Wilson Download Roundup - MusicWeb-International.com - April 2012

 

"...Weiss is outstanding and the orchestra’s contribution is superb."

John Whitmore - MusicWeb-International.com - April 2012

"...A wonderful rendition of Gershwin’s Concerto in F, which provides a feat of nostalgic and uplifting tunes. Originally intended as music for a film, his up-beat Rhapsody No. 2 describes the bustling Manhattan cityscape while under construction."

Gavin Engelbrecht - The Northern Echo - February 2012

 

"The first in a new series of Gershwin discs, featuring the Buffalo Philharmonic and their charismatic conductor, JoAnn Falletta, showcases the dazzling fast fingers of the brilliant young pianist Orion Weiss.  There’s plenty of Jazzy Americana in his performances, though they are more ‘classical’ than we often hear.  Superb orchestra and high impact sound come at the amazing Naxos budget price."

David Denton - Yorkshire Post -  February 2012

                         Artistic Quality 9                  Sound Quality 9

"...the Second Rhapsody, a splendid, neglected work…is very well played and conducted by the team of Orion Weiss and JoAnn Falletta, and comes across as a work of impressive brilliance and depth. The same goes for the Variations, given a bold, gutsy performance with plenty of pizzazz... The disc is also very well recorded and sounds quite impressive in both regular stereo and Blu-ray versions. A very pleasant surprise."

David Hurwitz - ClassicsToday.com - February 2012
 

"...All these pieces get snappy performances in well-balanced, clear recordings: an enjoyable collection"

Peter Dickinson - Gramophone magazine - May 2012