“Clarke leaves no doubt that he possesses the dual requirements of a formidable technique and an attendant stamina … Clarke’s interpretation is completely successful. Tempo and its modifications are well-chosen throughout. Some of the accelerando passages are quite hair-raising in their intensity… Clarke himself has a profound interest in Shostakovich and a highly developed understanding of his music. This CD is a worthy item for Shostakovich collectors and piano enthusiasts alike.” - Rosemary Cordy (DSCH Journal)
“This disc is an absolute winner, a real cracker. I have Shostakovich played by a myriad of pianists, including the ‘famous names’, but, after hearing Raymond Clarke’s performances, they can all be relegated into the second division. The recording sound is brilliant, close, vibrant and it has a very exciting attack. The performances are legendary and superlative. I do not want to hear anyone else play these pieces again. These are the definitive versions. I hesitate to say any more since I am limited as to what adjectives I can use to describe that which is of the highest quality.” - David Wright, (MusicWeb)
“Clarke’s program note is astonishingly perceptive, both musically and historically; indeed, it’s perhaps the most insightful and best-informed booklet essay I have ever seen from a performing musician … Clarke’s playing is breathtakingly precise … His range of expression is enormous … Athene has given him just about the best piano sound I have heard on CD, with enormous presence and a striking sense of perspective. [The disc]… offers not only electrifying pianism but that transcendental sense of a massive intellect penetrating and illuminating the thoughts of one of humanity’s giants…a towering achievement - and mandatory acquisition for anyone who cares about music.” - Martin Anderson (Fanfare)
“Clarke gives the tumultuous First Sonata its head, then seeks out its successor’s uneasy eloquence more completely than any other modern account.” - Richard Whitehouse (Gramophone)
“… this exemplary Shostakovich set… generously couples the two sonatas with the aphoristic and witty Preludes, Op.34, and these new performances are a viable first-choice for anyone coming to this repertoire afresh” - Penguin Guide to Compact Discs
“This marks my first acquaintance with Raymond Clarke’s playing, though his name had reached me courtesy of several very glowing reviews by authoritative critics. And to judge from his playing here, he is indeed a musician-pianist who commands instant respect.” - Jeremy Siepmann (BBC Music Magazine)
“Clarke is a powerhouse… Clarke is perfect for the assignment … Clarke again brings great panache to each of the youthful miniatures in the Op.34 Preludes: the E major ‘Presto’ (Number 9) astonishes in his hands… the Athene disc… certainly impresses when heard as an integral recital. I should also mention the pianist’s copious and very intelligent liner notes.” - Arved Ashby (American Record Guide)