27-12-2017 Kerk & Leven
"This catchy CD should encourage every parish in Flanders to make Christmas time also musically attractive. In the dark days of December, this recording of beautiful traditional Christmas songs in the vernacular is simply a bright spot."
21-12-2017 NRC Handelsblad
"A choir can be so much more than singing.
During Kerstspel all 330 children of Nieuw Vocaal Amsterdam are on stage at the same time."
20-12-2017 Kerk & Leven
"Mozart was able to improvise tremendously and continued to play, even for hours, after concerts. Challenge Records released a new edition of such works, which Ton Koopman recorded with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Tini Mathot on the keyboard about ten years ago."
27-11-2017 Kerk & Leven
"The artistic management of NVA, with pride proudly announces that they already have 330 pupils in various roles - from little sheep to star, from angel to Bethlehem citizen, shepherds and master angels ... on stage and that they want to participate every year! Add to that a fantastic storyteller with the Christmas story from Mary's point of view, three soloists (Gabriel, Mary and Joseph) and also the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Ton Koopman himself, and you get an amazing Christmas play. Without a doubt a golden recording!"
23-11-2017 Stretto
"Impressive Christmas play by Nieuw Vocaal Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, lead by Ton Koopman"
17-11-2017 De Volkskrant
"So many special CDs, Ton Koopman gets the Edison Oeuvre Award for it. The baroque conductor chooses the recordings that have inspired him the most."
17-11-2017 Klassieke Zaken
"What Ton Koopman, Nieuw Vocaal Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra do on their CD Kerstspel is traditional, but at the same time innovative."
10-10-2017 Klassiek Centraal
"Beautiful sound recording, musical composition perfectly matched with the Stein pianoforte from 1803, played by Tini Mathot."
06-07-2017 Fanfare Magazine
"If you don’t already have Koopman’s masses and Magnificat, here’s your chance to correct that deficiency."
04-07-2017 Pizzicato
"The carefully prepared, firm interpretations are pleasing and fit the nice, entertaining program"
01-03-2017 Gramophone
"A prime selling point here is the premiere recording of an early version of the soprano cantata Tu fedel? Tu costante?, HWV171a, unearthed in Ton Koopman’s private manuscript collection."
13-02-2017 Musica dei Bonum
"Koopman's recording is very important because of the repertoire: one first recording and some other pieces which are not that well-known, in overall very fine performances."
20-12-2016 Pizzicato
"Despite the presence of good soloists and a fine recording technique, this is a most disappointing production, since Ton Koopman’s conducting badly lacks inspiration.
"
09-10-2016 NRC Next
"Ton Koopman will give the prestigious Huizinga lecture at Leiden University this year."
04-07-2016 Gramophone
"All the while the Amsterdam players are a buoyant presence, whether in the energising continuo or the beautifully turned obbligatos from oboe, recorder and solo violins.
"
30-04-2016 Orgel Nieuws
"" [...] When Ton Koopmans hits the keyboards, He becomes inspired and the joy sparkles off from the play. As well on this CD. [...]""
11-04-2016 NRC
"Koopman conducted his choir and orchestra with an enthousiasm that was sometimes rushed but also very contagious. "
01-03-2016 Luister Magazine
"Luister 10
"The sound of this particular instrument, in a relatively small space with little, is wonderful in this beautiful recording." "
18-05-2015 Fono Forum
""Constantin Emanuel's timbre already has a certain personility and he apparently knows what the texts he performs mean."
Music 3,5 stars
Sound 4 stars"
01-04-2015 Opus Klassiek
""It cannot be otherwise, the work, even in the most literal sence, progresses, the violists, choir members and musicians are more en more fused within this repetoire." "
09-03-2015 Toccata
"A worthy ending of an impressive monument for a great baroque master. "
04-03-2015 Deutschlandradio Kultur
""With his 15 years Constantin presents a matured, catchy boy soprano, that is close to counter tenor. This has historical rarity that needs to be conserved.""
01-02-2015 Early Music Review
"["].. Although Tini Mathot has a very relaxed approach to pulse, I felt that this was in keeping with the style of the music - and she does generally respect Bach's ornamentation markings, and the notes that he wrote.""
17-12-2014 Reformatorisch Dagblad
"["].. Regarding the latter, Buxtehude may wish of no better interpreter of his oeuvre than Ton Koopman. Hecan,as noother build up the tension in each work again and again. ""
20-11-2014 RONDO
""We hope that Koopman will tackle other composers with the same vigorous effort as he has Buxtehude, and are very happy that we now are able to enjoy the full scope of Buxtehude’s great oeuvre, which is undoubtedly superb music""
06-11-2014 Het Parool
"5***** stars
Buxthehude is formidable.[….] Mission accomplished. This is a precious possession for eternity.”"
31-10-2014 Trouw
"4**** stars
“A monumental achievement Koopman has made with this project.[….] And everything is again impeccably recorded by Koopmans wife Tini Mathot and Adriaan Verstijnen.”"
31-10-2014 Trouw
""Koopman has done a monumental act with this project."
"Koopman presents the works with his famous 'schwung' and rhythmical passion.""
27-10-2014 Rondo
"The variety and beauty of Buxtehude's music is amazing and exhilarating"
15-10-2014 Gramophone
"All these performances benefit from Koopman's lightly tripping organ continuo and the lyrically played rhetorical violin ritornellos"
15-10-2014 Early Music Review
"Ton Koopmann ans his colleagues have captured the essential Buxtehude perfectly (...) thank you Challenge Classic!"
15-10-2014 Hi-Fi
"This is delicate and stately music, somewhat bereft of the groundbreaking harmonic invention and emotional depth of Bach's oeuvre but nonetheless enjoyable and well recorded and performed with presence and precision."
01-09-2014 BBC Music Magazine
"Whatever follows, the Buxtehude project is arguably Koopman's most important achievement: groundbreaking, ear-opening, comprehensive, scholarly, answering questions, raising others. But above all it sounds like a labour of love.
Bravo Buxtehude - and thank you Ton Koopman!"
01-09-2014 Toccata
"The from Koopman intiated and realised projekt - the recording of the complete works of Dietrich Buxtehude - is one of the most important ones of the last years."
15-08-2014 The Guardian
"Koopman varies them intelligently in this sequence of 10 numbers, and the performances have the unfussy directness that one associates with his music-making"
