Melba Recordings

"... a label of fragrant distinction"

There are no products in your shopping cart.

News from Melba Recordings

Go behind the scenes for insights on our recordings, our artists and our future plans. Follow our artists' schedules and share the excitement of their journeys.

Praise keeps coming for Ray Chen’s Melba debut

Thursday, 2 February 2012 - 12:01pm

Several months after its release, Ray Chen’s already acclaimed debut recording on Melba, Stravinsky-Diversions, is continuing to attract glowing reviews from international critics.

Leading American review magazine Fanfare recently published two reviews of the all-Stravinsky chamber program, both offering high praise for the young violinist and his pianist partner, Timothy Young.

Robert Maxham admired Chen’s “highly charged and rhythmically incisive” performances while also noting they were “at the same time sweetened by his opulent sound”. He concluded by saying: “his success in this repertoire demonstrates the range of his musical expressivity and his aplomb”, before signing off with “Strongly recommended”.

His colleague Paul Orgel was no less effusive: “Chen’s kinder, gentler Stravinsky has much to recommend it”, adding: “Chen and Young offer a soft-edged interpretation of the Duo Concertante that, on its own terms, is very attractive… I have gained respect for how the sensuousness and introspection of this performance tie the movements together”.

Orgel also echoed many earlier reviews when he wrote: “Melba has given this young winner of several major competitions a lavish presentation and very fine sound on this debut CD”.

Stravinsky-Diversions was greeted by unanimous acclaim on its release. “Everything engages me,” said Classical CD Review, “Chen plays better than [Itzhak] Perlman here.” Classique News described it as “the accomplished result of two subtle, spirited artists who play with admirable musicality”, and Music Web International declared it to be “outstandingly well played and well recorded recital… Another winner from Melba”.

Click the links below for more information on Ray Chen, Timothy Young, or to read reviews and purchase Stravinsky: Diversions in CD or high-quality digital download formats.