The Boston Globe (Richard Dyer)
“Youth and experience collaborated in the Handel and Haydn Society’s performance of Bach’s B-Minor Mass last night in a way that was profoundly moving.”

“The chorus and orchestra were superb, and Llewellyn’s presence encouraged a significant interaction between them.”

Boston Herald (Keith Powers)
“Grant Llewellyn says he likes to start the year with a bang. So he did Friday evening when the compelling conductor of the Handel and Haydn Society opened the season at Symphony Hall with a performance of Bach’s B minor Mass.”

“But the evening’s gold star goes to the chorus, singing a million notes, eyeing Llewellyn’s every gesture and responding alertly.”

The Boston Globe (Ellen Pfeifer)
[Overture and Ballet Music from Mozart’s ‘Idomeneo’] was full of incident, drama, and contrast and gave the instruments — particularly the violins — as much fancy footwork as the intended dancers.”

“Llewellyn led the pieces with obvious relish, investing them with infectious energy and pointing up every expressive nuance.”

Boston Herald (T.J. Medrek)
“Llewellyn and company provided warm support to [soprano Barbara Bonney] and framed her appearance with an energy-filled performance of orchestral music from Mozart’s opera ‘Idomeneo’ and a beautifully shaped and thoroughly enchanting rendition of Haydn’s Symphony No. 38.”

The Boston Globe (Ellen Pfeifer)
“[Grant Llewellyn] was everywhere supported by the excellent Handel and Haydn orchestra and the elegant chorus.”

The Patriot Ledger (Peter Knapp)
“The performance succeeded with Llewellyn’s animated conducting, superb playing by the period-instrument orchestra, some noteworthy solo contributions and exemplary singing by the Handel and Haydn chorus.”

“Right from the quick-stepping overture the Handel and Haydn instrumentalists played with admirable clarity and expressiveness, tossing phrases back and forth as if in lively conversation.”

“Llewellyn masterfully built dramatic tension until the exciting eruption of the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus.”

“’Hallelujah’ sounded terrific, but so did the majestic ‘Lift up your heads, O ye gates’ and the extraordinary three linked choruses starting with ‘Surely, He hath borne our griefs.’ Throughout, the Handel and Haydn choruses showed their remarkable virtuosity, precision and tonal beauty.”

The Boston Globe (Richard Buell)
“Last night’s Handel and Haydn Society ‘Christmas in the Renaissance’ concert saw things going very, very right, with music director Grant Llewellyn combining to glorious musical effect the first-class chorus he had at his disposal.... with a pair of sacred works... that seemed to speak across the centuries from the human soul then to the human soul now.”

Boston Herald (Keith Powers):
“Boston is the bastion of early performance practice, but with Llewellyn proclaiming, ‘We like to think we’re HIPP — Historically Informed Performance Practice, that is,’ Handel and Haydn’s chorus made an intimate exploration of the subtle counterpoint that characterizes the late English Renaissance. With no apologies necessary to any other local hippsters.”

“[Llewellyn] can lead singers. He has each voice deep in his body and conducts full arm — shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand and fingertip. It’s fun to watch and better to listen to.”

“An early — very early, 1420 — setting of ‘There is No Rose’ froze time in the hall. Renaissance became today, and the early high-minded thoughts seemed to fit nicely with tomorrow.”

The Boston Globe (Richard Dyer)
“The 18 players were excellent. Christopher Krueger repeatedly turned his flute into a sighing zephyr; the woodwinds chortled delightfully in their solos; the bass instruments laid in firm support.”

Boston Herald (Keith Powers)
“Violinist Daniel Stepner not only had a consistency of tone that must engender jealousy in other fiddlers, but he has an amazing knack for finding dynamic expression in the most stately of forms.”

Boston Herald (Keith Powers)
“The overture to Mendelssohn’s ‘Die schone Melusine’ sparkled under Hogwood’s informed leadership and energy.”

“Many conductors succeed in conveying their musical expertise to their orchestras. For Hogwood, it goes both ways: forward to his players, who gave it everything they had, right to the back chairs, but also back out to the audience, who could not help but understand Hogwood's devotion to this repertory."

Boston Herald (Keith Powers):
“Early Bach at his finest.”

“As a choral conductor [John Finney] has the technical mastery it takes to inspire and direct voices.”

“[Handel and Haydn baritone Donald] Wilkinson’s aria ‘Domine Deus,’ vibrantly accompanied by concertmaster soloist Daniel Stepner, stood out among this fine group of singers.”

The Boston Globe (Richard Dyer):
“A very committed and compelling performance that brought the audience to its feet.”

“The chorus sounded splendid.”

“Accuracy, beauty of tone, and emotional fervor”

Boston Herald (T.J. Medrek):
“The only proper response to Friday night’s performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony by conductor Grant Llewellyn and the Handel and Haydn Society was a standing ovation. And that’s what the audience at Symphony Hall gave.”

Read critical acclaim from the:
2007-2008 Season;
2006-2007 Season;
2005-2006 Season;
2004-2005 Season;
2003-2004 Season;
2001-2002 Season.

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