QUOTES FROM THE PRESS
“Despite his considerable technical sovereignty, Nicoara does not bring the contrapuntal over-virtuoso Busoni to the foreground. He cultivates a delicate, differentiated touch and discovers the transcendent, the dreamy and a great sensuality of sound. The CD is an impressive plea for [Busoni].” - Julia Spinola, Die Süddeutsche Zeitung
“Nicoara cleanly separates the contrapuntal strands of fugal textures, bringing each line to life with sensitive dynamic shading. In the Carmen Fantasy, he launches fearlessly into the challenging decorative passages, making music out of gloss. Above all, he fully expresses the uniquely mysterious essence of Busoni’s writing. […] As a single Busoni program, this disc is a first choice.” - 5/5 Star Review, Phillip Scott, Limelight Magazine
“The considerable technical demands, whether in the percussive abstraction of the Second Sonatina or the dreamy reminiscences of the Sixth, are met with alacrity. Most important is the wealth of imagination Nicoara brings to his realisations.” - Patrick Rucker, The Gramophone Magazine
“[Sonatina Seconda] has hardly ever been illuminated so vividly. […] In terms of sound, Nicoara pleases with a consistently warm tone and great pedaling […]. The Carmen Sonatina is poignant, yet highly entertaining. All in all, Nicoara succeeds in a highly differentiated, clear, “interpretation” of this never simple music. […] Nicoara sets a real exclamation mark with the Busoni sonatinas!” - 10/10 Review, Martin Blaumeiser, Klassik-Heute
“[Nicoara] approaches the works openly and freely, is able to bring out Busoni's brilliant and varied style with a lot of esprit and an equally wide tonal palette and nuanced pianistic touch. Together with the score fidelity, it is the free articulation and engaging understanding of the works composed between 1910 and 1920 that is particularly fascinating. [...] With this recording, Victor Nicoara has brought one of the best Busoni albums in recent years.” - Carsten Dürer, PianoNews Magazine
“Nicoara takes the enormous technical and interpretational hurdles with ease. Tricky harmonies that result from complex polyphony or complex structure? Simply playing ... Nicoara sometimes conjures up beguiling sounds on the keyboard, from which receptive ears can release distinctive melodic motifs and organically evolving forms. He feels at home in the lyrical, light first sonatina as well as in the powerful improvisational second sonatina, in the free - liberated - polyphony of the Sonatina brevis in Signo Joannis Sebastiani Magni as in the introverted Sonatina in diem nativitatis Christi MCMXVII or the extroverted Lisztian Sonatina super Carmen.” - Peter Kislinger, ORF
“It is immediately apparent that Nicoara has long been devoted to Busoni’s art and brings a depth of interpretation and impressive conviction to his performance. […] This is a disc to be thoroughly enjoyed, varied in scope with intimations of dustedoff treasure. As listeners, we revel in [Nicoara’s] sensitivity for the material: material he plays with an earnest, even humble, brand of pianistic expertise.” - Adam Sherkin, The Whole Note
“Only a few current pianists [...] play Busoni's pieces. Now Victor Nicoara is joining in as a top-class and convincing Busoni interpreter. […] Victor Nicoara’s playing is not only pianistically breathtaking, he is also a clairvoyant and clever guide through this very special world of sound. [...] a very strong CD debut by pianist Victor Nicoara.” - Wilfried Schäper, Radio Bremen
“Of course, Busoni's music is also an expression of a bygone era, but I have never heard it translated so urgently into the present day as in this spectacular recording. In the impetuous “Quasi Sonatina” that forms the labyrinthine paths of our existence into a Busonian apotheosis, Nicoara inspires with virtuosity, an infallible art of touch, but equally poetic internalization.” - Dr. Ingobert Waltenberger, Online Merker
“His performances live up to the standards he set, and his own Quasi Sonatina is a concise, intimate tribute to Busoni. Nicoara’s debut is an eye-opening release, and I look forward to more. Some Busoni albums have stayed on my shelf out of critical obligation; this will stay for future enjoyment.” - Stephen Estep, American Record Guide
“[…] Nicoara has since been a tireless advocate of [Busoni’s] music - and it shows in these performances. […] A brilliantly planned and executed disc, with hugely informative booklet notes.” - Colin Clarke, International Piano
“Victor Nicoara [plays] with a proper blend of clarity, warmth, and differentiation of moods, between thoughtfully lyrical and intensely urgent.” - Remy Franck, Pizzicato
“From the first note to the last, one senses that Nicoara’s chosen piano programme is a labour of love. These are most assured performances and Nicoara is very much at one with Busoni’s sound world, entirely in control of the music’s challenges, seeming to reach right to the heart of the scores. […] few players will demonstrate as much sensitivity and nuance as Nicoara does here.” - Michael Cookson, MusicWeb International
“Victor Nicoara plays with great flexibility. After just a few bars you can see how deeply he has buried himself in Busoni's world of sound, that he has dug there extensively and brought very personal observations to light. [...] He is the guide through a mysterious labyrinth.” - Christoph Vratz, NDR Kultur
“Magnificent, down to the spirituality with which he imbues the mysteries of the harmony, and the balancing of chords in the whispered pianissimo. […] what a joy to know that one of the most elusive collections of Busoni's piano music has found an interpreter who can succeed Egon Petri or Pietro Scarpini.” - Jean-Charles Hoffelé, Artamag
“This is Victor Nicoara’s debut recital and it seems admirable to me. He has carefully followed Busoni’s directions […] Above all, he has entered into their spirit: he plays to demonstrate their qualities and not as showpieces.” Stephen Barber - Recommended Recording on MusicWeb International
“Victor Nicoara really understands these works and brings out their qualities in a very convincing way.” Stephen Barber - Nomination for Recording of the Year on MusicWeb International
“Victor Nicoara performs this still far too unknown music with a great sense of sonority and great pianistic mastery.” - Mario Vogt, Crescendo
“With his selection of the six sonatinas, Nicoara makes it possible to experience how profound, how spiritual, even without being permeated in the literal sense of religion (apart from that of art) Busoni's music can be - and how directly it touches its innermost being.” - Stephan Schwartz-Peters, Pianist Magazine
“Listen to the last part of the Sonatina No. 2, BV 259, to hear Nicoara's sensitivity to this dual aesthetic, where all the details in densely powerful music are clearly defined and controlled. […] this is a major contribution to the growing Busoni revival.” - James Manheim, AllMusic
“This is a superbly recorded and artistically well conceived album which is proven to be a voyage of discovery in a side of Busoni that I hadn’t previously experienced.” - Dominy Clements, MusicWeb International
“The album is a must for friends of the piano and is a release that will quickly turn music lovers into classical music lovers.” - ToGo Berlin
“The Romanian pianist interprets Busoni's music with noblesse, the very finest piano technique and a spectacular musical creativity. This recording is very impressive, and with his Quasi Sonatina Victor Nicoara sets a finale that is as worthy as it is poetic. Chapeau!” - Ouverture: Das Klassik-Blog
“In the Albumblätter, Victor Nicoara reveals the poetic and philosophical spirit of his interpretation, his ability to lead the listener into an ethereal, almost hypnotic atmosphere” - Radio România Muzical