Reviews

"Poetic, lyrical, romantic" Weiler Zeitung

"Heroic" Geoff Brown, The Times

"A superlative communicator", Eastbourne Gazette

"...played by Andrews with mastery" Watford Observer

Marcus Andrews Recital for Radlett Music Club ****

"It is not every pianoforte recital that includes the first performance of a new work in the presence of its British composer. This was achieved by the Radlett Music Club on this occasion. Modus operandi, a short piece by Michael Summers, only completed in January 2010, therefore deserved our special attention. The piece begins by expanding a single note into a simple theme, to which, after much elaboration and interplay with other themes, it eventually returns. As we listened to its subtle and complex rhythms and its impressionist language, we could not fail to think of Debussy (a specimen of whose work was to be played next) and Bartok, whose idiom has become the lingua franca of modern pianism. It was a privilege to be at the premiere of this exciting, if brief, work, played with enthusiasm by Marcus Andrews.
The recital had begun with the Partita No. 1 in B flat, by JS Bach. This was a well controlled performance, avoiding many of the pitfalls that may beset works of this period when they are played on the piano - which was not what Bach had in mind. It was followed by Haydn's Sonata in C minor, Hoboken number XVI :20. Whether this too, being written in 1778, was intended for the piano rather than the harpsichord is debatable. Haydn's earlier sonatas, though pleasant to listen to, do not have the power of the last dozen or so; but this sonata was written at a turning point, and Andrews brought out the more forceful character that came with Haydn's increasing maturity as a composer.
Debussy's style is the essence of impressionism on the piano. Of other works in a long programme, four Preludes from his second set of Preludes were the most challenging. Such pieces as these no longer have a clear harmonic structure, nor themes in the usual sense; musical pictures are conjured up by series of chords or pianistic fireworks. This wonderful music was played by Andrews with mastery."

Graham Mordue, Watford Observer, February 2010

"This brilliant young musician... is a superlative communicator on his instrument. Throughout the recital his rapt involvement and superb technique entranced the audience."

Eastbourne Gazette, June 2000

"Marcus Andrews is a pianist who appeared at the Arts Centre in February and played a programme of music to appeal to all tastes. He is a musician of talent and expertise... gave a rich and mature performance."

Eastbourne Gazette, February 1999

The anguished notes of Boustany’s flute hovered over the heavy beat of the raw funeral march struck on the bare bass piano strings by Andrews’ white-gloved hand as he bent beneath the lid of the open grand piano. The audience was stunned into absolute silence. I was frozen in my seat at the front of the hall.

Michael Jansen, Jordan Times, February 2007

"The first (solo), played by Marcus Andrews, was the Prelude in C minor, Op. 23 no. 7 by Rachmaninov. This was a good, fluid performance with the performer well in control of every note he played; his control even extended to the audience at the end when we were all held by his last chord until he chose to relax and indicate that his performance was over."

- Catherine Whitnell, Purcell Room, South Bank Centre, London, UK, June 1994

"Thursday night's concert was a cracker - a most enjoyable programme - and I thought you gave excellent performances! Thank you so much for including the pieces - you played them with such sensitivity, a delight to hear."

Cecilia McDowall - composer

"The carefully chosen pieces of music, played by Marcus Andrews, helped evoke a period of innocence, a time and place 'for to forget/ The lies, and truths and pain' of everyday life."

The Royal Gazette, Bermuda ('If I should die", memoire of Rupert Brooke, English Chamber Theatre Production, Bermuda Festival, 2002)

"Talented and most memorable" - Arthur Boyd reviews Coda recital

"Coda's 131st recital on Saturday at Kent College, Pembury, proved to be a most memorable evening of talented music-making by two prize-winners at the 2000 Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists Competition. These were Susan FitzGerald, a flautist who was a finalist in the Wind Section and pianist Marcus Andrews, the Accompanist Prize winner. Both combined to present a varied programme which avoided some of the programming pitfalls sometimes encountered.
Their programme commenced with a four-movement sonata by Telemann, a prodigeous composer of unbounded talent. Silver tone from the flute and gentle support from the piano made this an appropriate programme opener. Marcus Andrews then treated us to an elegant performance of Beethoven's Opus 27/1 piano sonata (quasi una fantasia) a work in some contrast to its companion piece in the same opus number, the so called Moonlight sonata. Then we heard a work composed in 1960, the flute and piano sonata by Robert Muczynski, an American born in 1929.
Its beautiful slow Andante movement was surrounded by three others of fast and sometimes frantic speed, demonstrating not only the physical dexterity of the artists but also their technical adroitness in successfully surmounting the difficulties presented to them.
After a short rest, Susan and Marcus found no problems with Theodore Boehm's agile Grande Polonaise and were able to beguile in three movements from a Suite Antique by John Rutter. Here the absolute charm of this work caught the audience's fancy and a finale in the tortuous form of a flute and piano twisting of themes from Bizet's Carmen by Fernande Borne proved no difficulty to both these artists (even in an arrangement by James Galway), displaying technique and musicality worthy of musicians many years their senior.
This recital was attended and enjoyed by the Mayor of Tunbridge Wells, Cllr Melvyn Howell."

Tunbridge Wells Courier, 15th March 2002