It was characteristic of that resourceful musician Martin Amlin that, in this single recital, he could pair two very different kinds of pianistic summa that are not only not heard together very often but can be rather hard even to think of together: Debussy's Etudes and the Beethoven Diabelli Variations. It was a wonderful idea, and highly satisfying in the execution... Amlin's traversal was marked by clear purpose, sturdy technique, and clarity of texture... Throughout, Amlin's pianism seemed the honest, admirable kind in which the bravura qualities are subservient to directness and clarity...

Amlin's is a penetrating, structural-minded kind of musicianship, his keyboard manner sure and plain-speaking...Debussy's magnificent "Etude pour les Octaves" and "Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut" had a winning shapeliness and substance, and the magical harmonic play of Fauré's Barcarolle in G-flat Major was carefully observed and weighed, and palpably enjoyed. Amlin's own Sonata had a free-spirited, generously assimilating tone to it - it was issue of all the above, a commentary on it, a vigorous and lengthy cadenza to it, richly pianistic, and least friendly with tradition in the middle-movement "Circle of Fifths"...

Buyse and Amlin clearly have a natural musical connection; their balance and ensemble are flawless... Another must-buy from great artists.

Patricia McCarty and her pianist partner Martin Amlin make beautiful music together in their performance of Schubert's "Arpeggione" Sonata. Today Schubert's lovely piece is performed by both cellists and violists, and McCarty's effort goes down as perhaps the warmest and sweetest sounding…her tone is gorgeous, her command of the instrument impressive, and her well-practiced interaction with Amlin a pleasure to hear.

In works that embody the traits we love in German romanticism, violist Patricia McCarty and pianist Martin Amlin give affectionate, idiomatic accounts of Brahms’ Sonatas and Schumann’s Märchenbilder. McCarty and Amlin work together in close partnership, exploring the rich harmonies and sparkling melodies in these works.

I am very impressed with the balance between the viola and the piano. It is rare that a pianist can play the resonant and often overpowering piano parts of these sonatas [Brahms Op. 120] with the sensitivity and transparency that I hear in this recording. Martin Amlin allows Patricia McCarty to play quietly whenever she chooses, and he supports her without ever overpowering her in sections when the music becomes fuller. The sound is always lovely...