BRITISH VIOLA CONCERTOS
Released in 2025 with Evil Penguin Records
Mathis Rochat, viola
Abigél Králik, violin
Howard Griffiths, direction
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Artamag’ (France) – Jean-Charles Hoffelé
Record of the Day “Mathis Rochat moves deeply, with a speaking bow and a dark-hued timbre. He reveals the pure beauty of Walton’s Concerto—too often overexposed by virtuosos—preferring instead to sing within the maritime landscapes woven by the inspired Welsh orchestra under the elegant direction of Howard Griffiths.”
Pizzicato (Luxembourg) – Remy Franck
“Rochat discovers immense color, contrast, and inner tension in this demanding music, offering a first movement so deeply shaped that we experience it anew. The second movement is stupendously virtuosic, the finale delightfully dance-like. Howard Griffiths and the orchestra work in perfect harmony with the soloist, creating an interpretation full of atmosphere.”
Habent sua fata Libelli & carmina (Germany)
“Mathis Rochat, a celebrated violist, takes inspiration from Hugo Pratt’s Ballad of the Salty Sea to create a wonderful album of English late-romantic music. The superb orchestra and exceptional soloists bring every nuance of these compositions vividly to life.”
Klassik Heute (Germany) – Holger Sambale
“Rochat possesses an extraordinarily sonorous, exquisite tone, and it is a joy to listen to his playing. In Howells’ Elegy, his delicate use of portamento enriches the music’s quiet mourning, while in the more extroverted works of Walton and Benjamin his expressive freedom shines effortlessly.”
Sonograma (Spain) – Núria Serra
“His interpretation brings out the introspective character of the music, underscoring its melodic voice with natural, unforced expressivity. Under Howard Griffiths, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales provides a finely balanced dialogue with the soloist—no competition, but a shared sound world rich in nuance and transparency.”
ORF/Ö1 (Austria) – Eva Teimel
“From the very first note he casts a spell—both the spell of the viola and of this British musical language. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, led by Howard Griffiths, proves a worthy partner for Mathis Rochat.”
