Suite for Viola and Orchestra / Baal Shem (arr. Hong-Mei Xaio) / Suite hébraïque

"This performance, by superb viola soloist Hong-Mei Xiao, is as fine as any on disc, and there have been quite a few. She demonstrates all the classical virtues of superior string playing: warm tone, excellent intonation (even in double-stops), and vocal, cantabile phrasing. Her arrangement of Baal Shem (originally composed for violin) is wholly persuasive, and both this and the late (1951) Suite hébraïque combine with the Viola Suite to present a winning portrait of this still-neglected master of the orchestra. Kudos also to Mariusz Smolij and the Budapest players who accompany with evident sympathy and who, assisted in no small degree by Naxos' engineers, keep the orchestral parts clear and well-balanced. An excellent disc" (classicsToday.com)

"this disc will, I hope, win new admirers for the Songs of the Sea. Those who are tempted by this work will find the symphony highly enjoyable too, especially in this committed performance. By the way, the cover design is one of the best I have ever seen on a Naxos release, superlatively conveying the nature of the music." (MusicWeb Oct 2013)