01-06-2021 Diapason
"Hannes Minnaar knows what nuance means. His interpretation sweeps the emotional spectrum of the composer, from the darkest recesses of the soul to euphoria.
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01-03-2021 Fanfare
"Throughout the recital Minnaar shows himself off not only as an instrumental talent but as a probing musician. His playing may not be to everyone's taste. Some may find his temperament a bit cool. But the same was often said about Michelangeli. Most will have their favorite recordings of this repertoire already—I certainly do. But if one wants to hear this music anew, brilliantly captured in exquisite sound as here, and programmed to make the most of it all, then one should hear Minnaar. "
01-01-2021 Piano News
"The young Dutch pianist Hannes Minnaar surprises every time anew with his subtle, virtuoso playing. His latest CD album with piano music inspired by the night also fulfills almost all expectations that one can place on these young pianist. You don't hear a top athlete, but a piano poet who puts his immense pianistic possibilities at the service of music inspired by the night.
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01-12-2020 Classic Voice
"Nox is dedicated to the Dutch Pianist [Hannes MInnaar], who is here excellent in his rendition […] Hannes Minnaar finely detects the different features of these four pieces [Schumann] and handles with confidence the virtuoso writing of Scarbo, after having outlined the sombre visions of Gibet and the charme of Ondine with commendable strength"
10-10-2020 NRC
"By embedding Nox by Rob Zuidam in classics by Schumann and Ravel, a kaleidoscopic nocturnal voyage is created, a triptych of mutually reinforcing panels. The inner logic of Minnaar’s vision is rock solid."
29-09-2020 Trouw
"In all parts of Nox, virtuosity is linked to depth, qualities that Minnaar embodies like no other. Schumann is played wonderfully, and in Ravel you listen in amazement to how one of the most difficult pieces for piano is transformed into pure music."
25-09-2020 Het Parool
"Minnaar is taking the next step with ‘Nox’, an inevitable candidate for an Edison Classic Award and many others. He joins the ranks of the great pianists of our time."
24-09-2020 Pizzicato
"Nox is a highly expressive, rhetorical work, which is performed by Minnaar in a gripping way.
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24-09-2020 Pizzicato
"What immediately strikes you is the personal style of interpretation of the now 35-year-old Dutch pianist. His technique allows him to explore the music in depth and render it poetically."
24-09-2020 De Volkskrant
"On his breathtaking new album, piano virtuoso Hannes Minnaar plays the night, with the darkness that evokes unease but can also embrace you. Minnaar sounds the way he himself is: sober-minded but sensitive."
24-09-2020 Opus Klassiek
"Everything comes together perfectly in this deeply layered and evocatively designed, fascinating recital. The almost scorching directness that characterises his playing is just as striking for Minnaar as the enchanting suppleness in rhythm, voicing and intonation."
11-09-2020 Pianist
"Minnaar is happy with the result: 'I have worked on it with great pleasure and will perform it often in the coming season'."
01-07-2020 Trouw
"Without an audience it's no fun. That is why pianist Hannes Minnaar said "yes" to a proposal that he definitely rejected in other times: playing the piano in a church that is far too big. Now it has even become a whole tour."
06-09-2019 Pianist
"Pure and honest music, noble tone formation, playing with pleasure and modesty. These were the words that constantly came to mind listening to the dream debut of Hannes Minnaar in the Amsterdam Series Master Pianists."
08-04-2019 Trouw
"Under the hands of pianist Hannes Minnaar, even boring work sounds exciting and stunning."
05-04-2019 Het Parool
"Hannes Minnaar makes his debut on Sunday in the Concertgebouw series Meesterpianisten, the mecca for piano lovers."
03-04-2019 Trouw
"After 22 years there is another Dutch pianist who gives a soloconcert in the Master Pianists series. After Ronald Brautigam, Hannes Minnaar will give a solo recital in the famous series in the Concertgebouw. The 34-year-old Hannes Minnaar makes his dream come true."
30-07-2018 NRC Handelsblad
"Hannes Minnaar and conductor Jan Willem de Vriend understand each other flawlessly in Mozart's 'Jeunehomme'. The settled game of Lover sometimes seemed like a nightly prayer."
28-06-2018 AVROTROS
"New Classical: Beethoven's symphonic 'piano trios' by the Van Baerle Trio."
27-02-2018 Crescendo
"Hannes Minnaar was so lucky to study with Alfred Brendel and he owes him a lot. Surely he owes him the beethovenian feeling of balance and, even more, the beethovenian outstanding clarity."
09-02-2018 Pianist
"Hannes Minnaar plays highlights from the keyboard literature: Bach and Brahms, but also the Préludes opus 103 by Fauré, which he recorded beautyful in 2016."
09-01-2018 Music Web International
"All three are highly recommendable modern cycles in top-notch sound, and Minnaar’s very satisfying cycle might yet prove to be the more central recommendation among them."
06-10-2017 Luister
"A grand performance of a conductor with vision, a pianist radiating peace and control and a label with guts. And last but not least, an orchestra to treasure."
28-09-2017 WDR3
"The young Dutchman Hannes Minnaar faces the challenge with an overall recording; with the conductor and Beethoven expert de Vriend."
09-09-2017 Pizzicato
"Choosing his own musically very rich way, Hannes Minnaar is very well supported by Jan Willem de Vriend, and both sign an unconventionally personal account of Beethoven’s Piano Concertos, the first reference recording of this cycle in the 21st Century.
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28-08-2017 WDR3
"These are the ultimate Beethoven concerts for the second decade of the 21st century!"
04-08-2017 Klassieke Zaken
"The pianist is a true performer, a musician who is not in the forefront, but uses the golden interpretations of the music."
05-07-2017 De Groene Amsterdammer
"Between the two creates a tension of plus and minus ends that the most exquisite interplay gaining force against time. Minnar makes the light heavy, De Vriend the heavy light."
12-06-2017 Radio 4
"CD of the week at Radio 4 - Hannes Minnaar | Beethoven Piano Concertos
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04-06-2017 HRAudio
"Minnaar is more a combination of a sober Northerly perfectionist with exiting French flair, (compare his wonderful solo disc Fauré: Piano Music - Minnaar) both characteristics intertwiningly co-existing in his Beethoven. Taken all these elements together, I’d say that this set is hardly comparable with anyone else’s."
04-06-2017 Classic FM
"The album of the week, a 3 cd box, containing Beethoven's five Piano Concertos performed by Hannes Minnaar and The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jan Willem de Vriend."
01-06-2017 Opus Klassiek
"The members of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra are playing on the edge of their Chair. And Hannes Minnaar follows that same steep path perfectly! Nothing is flattened or updated. Then there was Bert van der Wolf who has immortalized this extremely colorful and engaging piece in a beautiful recording."
06-03-2017 Luister
"" (...) That you dont have to be a citizen of Paris to play Fauré on the right way, was proven by pianist Hannes Minnaar (...) ""
17-02-2017 Pizzicato
"This is one very exhilarating recording with piano works by Fauré. Hannes Minnaar’s playing is not only sensitive but also lyrical und sometimes dreamy. With a wide spectrum in sound shades, much refinement and a continuous flow the Dutch pianist’s performances are absolutely fascinating.
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03-02-2017 Kerk & Leven
"(...) Minnaars' rendition indacates perfectly how Fauré shows his personal feeling on a higly original way. (...)"
01-02-2017 Gramophone
"If Fauré's piano music has eluded you until now, these performances may provide the key."
20-01-2017 Luister
"Luister 10!
It is very difficult to make it seem as simple as Hannes Minnaar does. It becomes very clear on the enclosed DVD, recorded with an audience in the same room where the excellent CD recording was made: Westvest Church in Schiedam.
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20-12-2016 Trouw
"The dedication with which he plays the music, arouses admiration."
