Trio Van Hengel
- Performance 10 sparklingly performed and beautifully recorded … clarinet in the spotlight, with contagious enthusiasm perfectly performed by Nicole van Bruggen. The equally important piano part receives just as much care in fortepiano playing by Anneke Veenhoff … sounds to enjoy from the first to the last note.
Luister (September 2006) [The Netherlands]
- these three can make music like the best of them...summer listening pleasure.
De Telegraaf (July 2006) [The Netherlands]
- …most attractively performed on period instruments…very nicely presented in clean, forward and well-balanced recordings. The melodic, harmonic and textural qualities of this music are a real discovery
Early Music Review (June 2006) [Great Britain]
- **** Elles bénéficient d'interprétations de haut vol enrichissant opportunément la discographie. M. Vignal
Le Monde de la Musique (Juin 2006) [France]
- **** [the trio plays with] contagious authentic pleasure…
NRC Handelsblad (June 2006) [The Netherlands]
- *** One step under Beethoven
This music surpasses elegance, must be exceptionally fun to play and certainly is to listen to. It may not have the greatness of Beethoven or the pain of Schubert, but the music is never banal or over the top. Some movements are even extremely beautiful and moving. [The trio] produces an 'earthy', light transparent sound and articulates clearly, without losing the legato.
De Morgen (May 2006) [Belgium]
- Van Bruggen allows the sound, particularly in the low register, to melt like creamy May butter … the classical clarinet was swinging, the cellist was rattling his strings and the pianist kept everyone masterfully and rhetorically in line … the music making was so expressive and full of enthusiasm!
Leidsch Dagblad (February 2009) [The Netherlands]
- What a fantastic concert! ... so focused and accurate and played with such a sense of phrasing and nuance, superb. The subtle balance and harmony was a revelation, three equal instruments, real chamber music. ... sparks of enjoyment were flying! Special mention is also deserved for the concert talks ... excellent, informative and entertaining. Particularly the history of the basset clarinet - almost a detective story in itself - told with verve by Nicole van Bruggen!
Programmer, Muziekkamer Assen (March 2009) [NLD]