In a year during which Ukraine has suffered immense tragedy, it has been my privilege to review three releases of orchestral music from this newly discovered Ukrainian composer. The final release, from this month, arrived too late to be included in this year’s nominations but of the previous two, his Piano Concerto and his ballet suite Une fête en Ukraine are both marvellous works in the style of the early twentieth century Russian Romantic School of Rachmaninov, Prokofiev and Glazunov. Well worth discovering and all played wonderfully by the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra. --Music Web, International Records of the Year Award for 2022

"...for those who revel in those Romantic piano concertos of the first half of the twentieth century, [de Hartmann's Piano Concerto Op. 61] will be both a revelation and a joyful discovery." --Music Web International, Records of the Year Award for 2022

"What is certain, however, is the absolute mastery of the de Hartmann’s Piano Concerto by pianist Elan Sicroff – an artist who has dedicated much of his musical life to this avant-garde Russian neo-Romantic, after having been introduced to his works in the 1970s by the composer’s widow, Olga."

"These performances leave nothing to be desired. Elan Sicroff, who has recorded a disc of Hartmann’s solo piano music, is authoritative; Singaporean conductor Tian Hui Ng balances his forces well, and the orchestra plunges in with exuberance. Sound quality is top class."

"This concerto is no mean feat, but Sicroff seems to succeed in making even the most difficult passages sound effortless, without overdoing the more overtly romantic passages. It is also largely thanks to the tireless efforts of the pianist that the recordings exist at all, so we do owe a debt of gratitude to him for all his work."

“Elan Sicroff’s piano play is of a bold beauty, broad in scope. With an energetic and accurate touch he vibrates in the ‘improvised’ passages. A special feature is the dizzying variety in the composition, which is performed by Sicroff with an inspired ease. Virtuoso how he follows this diversity so organically and performs it in a natural way." (translated from the Dutch version)

"Well recorded with plenty of vivid wind, brass and percussion action and performed by all with palpable gusto, this is an excellent disc in its own right, but also a complementary recording for anyone who has already acquired and admired the selection of orchestral works on the Toccata Classics label..."

“Together, these discs provide an unmissable survey of a composer whose music calls out for much wider exposure. Sicroff's expertise is invaluable and his pianistic prowess second to none. ”

“The performances are uniformly of the highest quality…all the musicians consistently sound as though they relished Hartmann’s idiomatically conceived, sometimes sinuous melodies. If I had to recommend just one performance, it would be Janssen and Sicroff’s of the magnificent Cello Sonata, one of the finest for the instrument penned in the 20th century…an unalloyed masterpiece with a wonderful variation set at its centre. A revelation.”

“Sicroff is a fine pianist who brings out the best in each work on this set. This is a fine introduction to de Hartmann’s music and a valuable contribution to the history of 20th-century music.”

“I must give producer Gert-Jan Blom a pat on the back for using singers who can actually sing, who have good, firm voices, good musical style and, best of all, clear diction.”

“...the de Hartmann Project has done the world an immense service in finally presenting a somewhat orderly and in-depth look at this talented composer whose work has been not only vastly underrated but almost wholly ignored by the rest of the classical music world.”

“Elan Sicroff proves an exceptional exponent of a sometimes bewilderingly diverse range of musical influences – from the nineteenth century via the salon and thence to Scriabin, Stravinsky, and perhaps a little Bartók. These represent, at least, some of the staging posts of de Hartmann’s musical journey.”

“The Trio for Flute Violin and Piano Op. 75 is a stunning work with which to end this Nimbus introduction to the music of Thomas de Hartmann, and I would urge everyone to find out just how good it all is for themselves.”