Read this review of Latin Reverie, appearing in American Recorder (May 2016).
“Latin Reverie is a masterful combination of soulfulness, colorfulness and playfulness that covers a wide palette of styles and genres in Latin music with an exciting and eclectic choice of repertoire. Clea Galhano and Rene Izquierdo’s virtuosic playing are evident, though such moments are carefully chosen, cleverly retaining the innate simplicity of the music. Together, they create a very unique fabric of sound–with only two instruments–transporting us to different places, times and spaces at once. This album is indeed reverie, in its pure form.”
– Clarice Assad
Read this full review by Beatriz H. Ramos Amaral: “Circle of the Dance: Alma Brasileira – The Art of Clea Galhano, Joan Griffith, and Lucia Newell”
“Latin Reverie was the title of the recital that recorderist Clea Galhano and guitarist Rene Izquierdo presented December 19th at the Weill Hall of Carnegie Hall…an evening with unusually and interesting attractive music…both artists played with great skill, and an obvious pleasure in the music, which they communicated with the appreciative audience.”
– American Recorder, Spring 2014
“Clea Galhano, recorder, and Joan Griffith, guitar and cavaquinho, made it hard for audience members to keep from dancing or singing along.”
– American Recorder, September 2012
“On May 13th, 2010, in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, a magnificent recorder concert entitled “Brazilian Baroque” was performed by Clea Galhano, Rosana Lanzelotte and Peter Maund. Galhano’s playing is always full of energy and passion–a passion matched by the others. The three performers were so attuned to each other that one might assume that they had the luxury of many rehearsals. Indeed, at times, the music evolved into lively conversation.”
– American Recorder, September 2010
“The Blue Baroque Band plays familiar Telemann and Vivaldi works with verve and panache..The Blue Baroque Band models a lively, historically informed approach to playing music unabashedly on its various instruments…Galhano ornaments the lines with aplomb…”
– American Recorder, March 2007
“The recital by the Brazilian recorder player Clea Galhano and the Dutch harpsichordist Jacques Ogg was a triumph of delicacy and suave embellishment in rare baroque repertory. Ogg’s solo playing in Francois Couperin’s bird-song clavecin pieces was delightful, and Galhano’s contribution to them (picking out melodies, as Couperin allows) passingly suggested Andean pipes. Her virtuosity was highly entertaining, but inevitably it was the profound substance of a JS Bach sonata that made on really open one’s ears.”
– The Sunday Times, London, September 2006
“There are not many professional recorder players who could sustain a full programme of music drawn from the early to the high Baroque periods, but the Brazilian-born Clea Galhano, now a United States resident, is certainly one of them, demonstrating the quality of her musicianship throughout at the Wigmore Hall…It was both instructive and musically worthwhile to hear…admirably accompanied by the Dutch-born harpsichordist Jacques Ogg…there was not one piece in the entire recital that was not musically valuable…brilliantly expressive…gifted player’s performances of genuine eloquence and virtuosity.”
– Robert Matthew-Walker, Musical Opinion, London, November 2006
“Exceptional intonation and ensemble made the harmonized melodies glow and clarified the speedy, complicated counterpoint. [Marion] Verbruggen and [Clea] Galhano are technical wizards, and this program gave them ample opportunity to demonstrate that. It also showed their sensitivity. Furious charges to abrupt silences brought suspense, and the throbbing repeated notes of the Italianate 1027/1039 called up the beating of an aching heart.”
– Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, October 2005
“Clea Galhano gave a splendid recital under the title “Les gouts Reunis” at the Wigmore Hall on January 19, 2004 and it was indeed a rare experience…played in excellent style…this was a recital of much musical enjoyment and no little distinction.”
– Robert Matthew-Walker, Musical Opinion, London, March/April 2004
“The very highlight of the evening was created by Clea Galhano…she made great music with smooth sound, intricate ornamentation and with obvious joy of playing…”
– Mittelbayerische, Regensburg, Germany
“Hearing a musician play in the 17th century fashion is invigorating and inspiring. It gives the listener a dazzling sense of unlimited human achievement…Identifying with the object of your stunned admiration, you imagine that you too are capable of miraculous acts. To witness extreme virtuosity makes you feel free, powerful, and magnificent. This was certainly the experience of the audience when they witnessed recorder player Clea Galhano overcoming every daunting obstacle in the fiendishly difficult d’Espagne by Marin Marais and do so as though all those pyrotechnics were the easiest things in the world.”
– San Diego Reader, San Diego
“The recorder player, Clea Galhano (known for her performances of Brazilian music) created the perfect blend of sound, with playing that was strikingly compatible.”
– San Francisco Classical Voice, San Francisco
“Virtuoso [Clea Galhano] makes ancient instrument sound fresh.”
– Pioneer Press, St. Paul
“[Songs in the Ground] is really beautifully played…is testimony to Galhano’s diverse approach to recorder playing and certainly demonstrates a high level of versatility…”
– The Recorder Magazine, London
“[Songs in the Ground] is one of the best-sounding recordings of recorder and harpsichord I have ever heard…the sound if vivid and true-to-life…”
– American Recorder
“Clea Galhano shines with her recorder…The concert was brilliantly performed.”
– O Globo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
“Clea Galhano is an excellent recorder player…”
– Folha de Sao Paulo, Brazil
“The highlight of the program…filling the hall with the haunting tone of the recorder, Galhano proved that sometimes simple beauty can be more moving than 100-piece orchestra…”
– Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh
“Outstanding, effective performance.”
– Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh
“A wonderful crossover musician.”
– Pittsburgh Tribune, Pittsburgh
“The program was performed by two great recorder players. Holland’s Marion Verbruggen and Brazil’s Clea Galhano.”
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle