Reviews
CLEVELAND CLASSICAL
Jarrett Hoffman
March 23, 2021
…Classic Beethoven, the sonata ends triumphantly. But rarely does that triumph feel as moving, as deserved, or as real as in this recital from Caroline Oltmanns
Read more here.
S.T. PUBLISHING
Charles Cassady
March 24, 2020
Jules Verne’s fictional heroes of yesteryear traveled around the world in 80 days. Hudson’s Caroline Oltmanns goes around the world on 88 keys.
Read more here.
PIANIST MAGAZINE
Donald Hunt
5 Stars
...Crystalline playing...consummate musician...
Oltmanns (an International Steinway Artist) is fast becoming a star in the piano world, which is heavily evident in her refined, crystalline playing and charismatic persona. Ghosts, her sixth solo album on the Filia Mundi label, is comprised of particularly misty works by Schumann, Chopin, Brahms, and James Wilding...
Read more here.
CLEVELAND CLASSICAL
Robert Rollin
October 11, 2017
...impressive focus throughout the performance...playing with delicacy and elegance...
Read more here.
CLEVELANDCLASSICAL.COM
Jeremy Reynolds
December 13, 2016
Oltmanns’ playing is unencumbered…with uninhibited lyricism…understated power…
Read more here.
CLEVELANDCLASSICAL.COM
Dan Hathaway
December 17, 2015
Water seems to be the connective tissue that links the works in Caroline Oltmanns’ attractive piano album Venezia e Napoli.
Read more here.
LONDON REVIEW International Piano
January/February 2015
The pianist herself refers to this disc as ‘a water album with lots of old world charm’. It is beautifully recorded, a facet that really illuminates Oltmanns’ subtleties – in the Debussy in particular.
CC
LUCIA BUCH
Allgäuer Zeitung
January 15. 2015
…Oltmanns depicted the genius and quirky miniatures (of Schumann’s Carnaval) with thoughtful depth, gave thorough insights, and did not leave out the often mis-understood Sphinxes.
JAQUELINE GERBER
Radio Interview on WCLV Cleveland
November 3. 2014
VENEZIA E NAPOLI was recorded in Frankfurt, Germany in collaboration with renowned recording engineer Udo Wüstendörfer. The performance on a German Steinway concert grand piano was captured in a carefully selected acoustic environment. The rich graphic design uses award winning photography, and makes this album and accompanying booklet a feast for the senses.
GUY ENGELS
Pizzicato
November 13. 2014
…klarer, leicht schimmernder Ton, in dem man einen inneren Nachhall verspürt,
der zum Verweilen einlädt…
…clear, light and scintillating tone, in which one senses an inner echo,
which in turn invites to keep listening…
DR. URSULA ADAMSKI-STÖRMER
Bayerischer Rundfunk (Germany)
Album Review: Venezia e Napoli
October 2014
Venezia e Napoli – concert pianist Caroline Oltmanns releases her latest album under this title. And the title also represents the program of the CD. The track list includes of course Franz Liszt’s work by the same title. The graphic design with its inspiring cover and booklet photos of the Serinissima make this album a condensed piece of art. Caroline Oltmanns centers her latest CD around this work, and what a recording it is!
organic phrasing paired with finely developed pedaling and great sense of storytelling
Caroline Oltmanns always steers the listener towards the inspiration behind the notes. A CD one wants to hear over and over!!!
BETTINA SCHÄRLINGER
Höfner Volksblatt (Switzerland)
October 30. 2014
...Caroline Oltmanns mesmerizes her audience again and again with seeming abandon.
DANIEL HATHAWAY
CLEVELANDCLASSICAL.COM
February 23. 2014
almost a religious experience
MARTIN FREI
Allgäuer Zeitung
January 14. 2014
Through delicate use of pedal and intelligent playing the visionary character of the work came alive, even though the interpretation stayed at all times extremely close and true to the score. Her interpretation never was just a dry lecture, but rather utter enjoyment.