Reviews

“Total grasp of the music, a performance of rare quality. Brahms’s Sonata plumbs considerable depths and the Boyd’s view of this masterpiece produced one of the finest accounts I have ever heard”

Musical Opinion 

“Boyd seems to have a special affinity and painterly touch for this colourful and wonderful music. Judging by this delightful album his next recording will be something to savour *****”

Limelight 

“This is a riveting performance full of technical virtuosity and Spanish atmosphere. Boyd plays the six movements with real feeling throughout, most gripping of all is “El amor y la muerte” the haunted, desolate conclusion of which is utterly compelling. The epilogue, “Serenata del espectro”, catches the ghostly character with great poetry to round out a very fine account indeed. First-rate *****”

International Piano Magazine (Granados “Goyescas”)

“I hope I shall encounter Boyd’s playing more in the future. I found myself returning time and again to these discs to hear Boyd’s outstanding playing, so true to the character of this wonderfully original music. *****”

Musical Opinion

 “It is a brave pianist who ventures a complete Iberia, Boyd’s recording is cool, nuanced, vivid and multi layered, taking one in to the heart of this music.”

International Piano Magazine

“To my ear Boyd has nothing to fear from a comparison with Larrocha, there should be room for both recordings in any library, a wonderful pianist..”

MusicWeb International

“The highly-gifted Boyd Duo (brothers Nathaniel, cellist, and Alexander, pianist) presented an exceptional recital of four Sonatas at the Purcell Room on January 31st, their filial characteristics extending to their musical qualities. They began with Debussy’s Sonata, a very difficult work with which to open any recital programme but which, on this occasion, received a performance of notable distinction, in technical command, musical insight and instrumental balance. The Prokofiev Sonata…was honoured with a similarly outstanding performance, the players’ seemingly instinctive insight revealing this piece to be an unjustly unfamiliar masterwork for most audiences. Rachmaninoff’s large scale G minor Sonata, which tests the pianist rather more than the cellist, concluded the evening in a gripping and totally involving reading. Here are two outstanding musicians and we hope that it will not be long before we here them again.

Musical Opinion  (Robert Matthew-Walker)

“Boyd was at ease with the Romantic gestures of the Chopin, Mendelssohn and Ravel, being in formidable control of the virtuosity required. In the Ravel Boyd contrived a lovely balance between the imprecise impressionistic textures of much of the music and the crystalline clarity of the Fugue. High drama was brought to bear in Chopin’s B flat minor Scherzo, while there was a quieter, evocative variety of moods in the Mendelssohn.”

Musical Opinion

“The players brought impressive cohesion to Schumann’s Piano Quintet. Boyd drew clear but not over-dominant tone from the Steinway which on good nights like this, can make chamber music in these surroundings such a special pleasure. *****”

The Herald (Scotland)

“Boyd showed himself to be the interpretative soul of the performance”

The Australian

“Boyd’s treatment of Bach”s Partita N.1 was hugely impressive- clear, lucid, balanced and moving. In Schumann’s Davidsbundlertanze he well preserved the spontaneity of these 18 pieces with playing that was by turns private and explosive, and in the Rachmaninov produced richly evocative playing and beautifully sustained long lines.”

Musical Opinion

“The four impromptus went by in a flash of brilliance. Truly breathtaking virtuosity from this careful and intelligent performer.”

Sydney Morning Herald

“The audience was left applauding a superb recital which rewarded keen listening and stillness. First class playing, a real artist.”

The Independent (UK)

“Beautifully controlled, lyrical playing, I was left marveling at his consistently dazzling pianism”

The Australian

“Brilliantly assured playing of beautiful clarity, he brought interpretative depth and poetic feeling to everything he played”

Canberra Times

“Phenomenal technique, Boyd’s wonderful array of colours uplifting the mind”

Musical Opinion

“Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz was fired up with a wealth of emotional hues, played with great bravado. Boyd’s quest for style was unrelenting as he coaxed its demonic sensibility. What a performer”

Musical Opinion