"Paul
Marleyn.....gave a heart-warming account of Tchaikovsky's Rococo
Variations with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) displaying
a well-nigh unassailable technique.... his smooth, rich tone had
not the faintest trace of a rough edge."
Neil Turney, Daily Telegraph, London,
April 24th, 1994
"Paul Marleyn's playing is emotionally
intense, physically big-boned, and never dull. In the Prokofieff
(Sonata), the cello takes deep-throated precedense.....the Sonata
was well paced and strongly shaped."
Gramophone Magasine,
January 1994
"A superb
programme, with players over-flowing with health, the joy of playing,
and flamboyant brilliance. All come together for a memorable disc....
the caressed phrasing, the glittering colours, the very beautiful
mezza-voce of the cello, the tone of a lyrical and seductive heroism."
Pascal Brissaud, Repertoire, France,
April 1994
"Marleyn
played (the Schumann Concerto) with poise, finesse and the strength
of an old hand......he negotiated all three movements with deftness,
good projection and superb melodic shaping. This was a performance
of genuine distinction."
The Times Herald, New York,
November 24th, 1988
"....phrasing
and delivery that were a model of poise and sensitivity. His tone
control was excellent, bringing a culminative inward intensity to
the music."
The London Guardian,
28th November, 1990
"Paul Marleyn
is a sensitive player of considerable insight and intelligence,
with an impeccable technique and apparent infallability of intonation."
Liverpool Daily Post, England,
January 20th, 1997.
"Paul Marleyn's
truly great performance of the Schostakovitch Sonata was a psychologically
riveting interpretation, as close as could be to the pulse of the
music and of such calibre to deserve putting on record...........His
tone had a deep and poignant lyricism that was spell-binding: his
technique was so secure that the listener did not become aware of
it....... a magnificent performance."
The Tech, Cambridge, MA, USA,
February 14th, 1989.
"Marleyn
met its (The Schostakovitch Concerto no. 1) daunting demands superbly:
the virtuoso Cadenza movement and the hell-for-leather finale were
particularly commanding."
Daily Telegraph, London,
January 22, 1997.
"To disciplined
playing, he brought a large, lush tone.......an impressive performance."
The Boston Globe,
May 12th, 1988
"The program
opened with Beethoven's Sonata no.2 in G minor. From the very first
entry, one's appreciation for the considerable talent of 'cellist
Paul Marleyn grew. Marleyn's impressive credentials foretold an
artist of the highest order. This Beethoven confirmed it. Marleyn's
account was noble, spacious and beautifully gauged."
James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press,
Canada,
March 3rd, 1998.
"Cellist
Paul Marleyn met the technical demands with dramatic flourish, (and)
it was in the hypnotic interlude (of Ginastera's Pampeana no. 2)
that deep musicality came through."
Kelowna Courier, BC, Canada,
January 12th, 2001.
"A soloist
of exceptional skills.... in Howard Moody's Epitaphios for cello
and strings (with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra) one connected
with Marleyn¹s ripely meditative playing. The spirit in this
rhapsodic work was genuine, its reflective and personal stance deeply
felt. The Haydn Concerto was done with panache.....the sprinting
finale hit the mark, with Marleyn's athletic skills on high alert.
A splendid player he is."
James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press,
Canada,
October 5th, 1999.
"Marleyn
gave a virtuoso performance, displaying mastery of several different
techniques called for in these varied pieces (Arensky's Four Pieces
for cello and piano). Perhaps the most impressive was the final
Humoresque, which required a quicksilver bowing technique that gave
Marleyn no problems, so that he was able to bring out the underlying
musicality of the work, in addition to the frenetic dancing of his
bow."
New Brunswick Festival,
The Daily Gleaner, Fredericton,
August, 2001,
"Clearly
well-liked by the players and audience was Bramwell Tovey's, a big,
ambitious work written for and played by Paul Marleyn. There was
always a clean, clear appeal...with a sense of fun and melancholy.
It will be a work, too, that the excellent Marleyn can travel with
as the reading did it proud."
Winnipeg Free Press, Canada,
January 29th, 2001.
"Paul Marleyn,
fresh from his triumphant appearance in Saturday's moving performance
of John Taverner's Svyati, soared in from high in the bleachers
with Sarah Hopkins' solo cello opus titled Reclaiming the Spirit......A
recurrent snatch of romantic melody was delicately thrown in, while
Marleyn exorcised the spirit of the didgeridoo from his cello......
The return of Marleyn with pianist Heather Schmidt for James Macmillan's
Kiss on Wood was a pleasing addition .....Marleyn and Schmidt turned
in a superbly musical and captivating performance. Marleyn's plaintive
high notes melted into the distance with Schmidt's dying chords
to great effect."
Centara New Music Festival,
Winnipeg Free Press, Canada,
Feb. 6th, 2002.
"Swirl, for solo cello, highlights this program of chamber music by composer Hiscott. The music is more than merely pictorial, as it covers a rich vein of moods and is beautifully explored in Paul Marleyn's performance."
James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press
on Blue Ocean, released by CBC Records
"Inventive programming, passionate playing, compelling listening"
Jessica Duchan, Classic FM Magazine
on From Jewish Life, released by Signum 2
'Cellist Paul Marleyn's sensitivity and sound technique create a strong impression....."
Richard Todd, Ottawa Citizen
on Blue Ocean, released by CBC Records
"...committed and expressive performances. Throughout this CD Marleyn shows his true colors as a fine cellist with both an astute command of style and formidable teachnique. His artistry deserves much wider disemination."
Joanne Talbot, Strad Magazine, May 2004
on From Jewish Life, released by Signum 2
"The programme opens with Max Bruch’s Kol Nidrei...which Marleyn takes up with passionate soliloquy.....(in Bloch’s Nigun) Marleyn’s cello sings the frevent melodic line with deep lyrical feeling......Throughout the playing of both artists is totally idiomatic....a most rewarding concert."
Ivan March, Gramophone, June 2004
on From Jewish Life, released by Signum 2
"Marleyn presents strongly characterised and highlyexpressive performances of all the works....an excellent recording, this release deserves an enthusiastic recommendation."
Erik Levi, BBC Music Magazine, May 2004
on From Jewish Life, released by Signum 2.
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