'...Long established as duet partners, violinist Christian Tetzlaff and pianist Lars Vogt turned to Brahms's three Violin Sonatas for their latest recital. We have long been familiar in the UK with their individual interpretations of the composer's concertos, much admired and rightly so. They played the Second Sonata in London in 2009: a performance of all three in one evening was a logical next step in their collaboration. Their Brahms is characterised by technical exactitude and a quiet intensity that avoids histrionics. The mix of metal and sweetness in Tetzlaff's tone, particularly in the violin's upper registers, precludes sentimentality. Vogt offsets moodiness with lucidity and a subtle sense of drama. It took a while, however, for them both to fully concentrate. The opening movement of the First Sonata – the most expansively lyrical of the three – could have been fractionally more focused. Things had settled by the time they reached the Adagio, however, and we were able to appreciate the warmth and finesse of Tetzlaff's double stopping and the innate nobility of Vogt's playing. The Second and Third Sonatas – begun concurrently, and, though finished two years apart, possibly intended as a contrasting pair – are closely wrought works, in which the players are required to function almost as one. The rapid dialogues of the outer movements of the Second were flawlessly negotiated, the Andante-cum-Scherzo exquisite in its finesse. The troubling Third Sonata, meanwhile, was marvellous throughout, with its quiet tension, subtly shifting dynamics and subdued lyricism. Tetzlaff was at his expressive best in the immensely moving Adagio. The encores opened with the theme and variations from Mozart G Major Sonata K379, ravishingly done, and close to perfection in its elegance and grace...'

Tim Ashley, The Guardian

'...This was an enormously satisfying concert (broadcast live on BBC Radio 3): the combination of Mozart in display mode with Mahler's Tragic Symphony (as it sometimes known) worked perfectly. It helped that Lars Vogt is the most perceptive of Mozarteans and Jiří Bělohlávek one of the finest Mahlerians. It was also a joy to hear the BBC Symphony Orchestra working hand-in-glove with its Chief Conductor giving a detailed account of a symphony which all-too-often is inadequately prepared. 

Lars Vogt has that rare ability to surprise the listener with a sudden change of perspective. There was no pretence of profundity here, but, whilst this particular Mozart piano concerto is not amongst the greatest of them, K451 richly repays the craft of fine music-making. In its flowing Andante, Vogt resisted the temptation to over-inflate Mozart's unpretentious material, yet dovetailed beautifully with the flute, oboe and bassoon so that the movement became almost a wind serenade with piano obligato, whilst in the finale there is an infectious gaiety and spontaneity which these performers caught like a butterfly on the wing.

Lars Vogt, most thoughtful of pianists excelled though, in the coolly charming central Andante and, above all, in the two (Mozart) cadenzas of the outer movements, rolled out with an evenness that added to the general sense of wellbeing....'

The Arts Desk.com

'...One of the particular pleasures of these chamber concerts is the brief interview at their centre. Lars Vogt rightly used the expression "The soul is under attack" to describe these works, alluding to the Janáček as "full of blood". In the Mists, itself an ambiguous title, dates from a period in the composer's life when it was far from clear that his music would ever be accepted by the wider world. In these four aphoristic pieces Vogt caught perfectly the violent contrasts between the calm, hieratic moments and sudden violent eruptions, between lyricism and those jagged themes which suddenly hurl themselves out at the unsuspecting listener. This is music of dangerous unpredictability...'

The Classical Source

'The sound recording is superb... throughout this demanding programme Vogt plays with wonderfully quiet hand, drawing the most lovely tone from the Steinway... [Schubert's Piano Sonata No. 18] unfolds in an almost improvisatory reverie and I would buy the DVD just for Vogt's handling of the last movement... How good to hear one of the least-played of Mozart's miraclulous cycle and to have it delivered by Vogt with understated, stylish conviction.'  Jeremy Nicholas, Gramophone Awards 2012 Issue

'...Ticciati proved an equal partner in Vogt’s fascinating and gutsy traversal of the concerto. The pianist's unorthodox phrasing, never mannered or wilful, made Grieg sound consistently fresh. He brought a powerfully rich tone to the showy outer movements. And his delicately shaded first movement cadenza, a mini-concerto all by itself, held the audience rapt. 

Vogt and Ticciati took a risk by stretching the gorgeous central Adagio, but assisted by William Lane’s ravishing horn playing and the orchestra’s sonorous muted strings, they sustained its magic. At the conclusion, the audience stood for conductor and soloist. When Vogt returned for a solo bow, the Phil’s string players joined in by vigorously tapping their bows...'

Los Angeles Times