Reviews

selected reviews

New York Classical Review - ‘Tenor Jonathan Hanley laughed his way through “Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee” to the buoyant accompaniment of the chorus… Cronin and Hanley [had] one final opportunity to beguile in “As steals the morn upon the light’, Rick Perdian (10.23)

Planet Hugill - ‘Roberts kept the complex piano part light and relaxed so that Hanley's lyric tenor could float over with beautiful tone. Hanley made the melismatic sections suitably ardent with the faster episodes vivid and equally ardent, but then the final section saw things quietening down, both performers making the music finely concentrated, ending in hypnotic fashion.’ Robert Hugill (02.25)

York Press - ‘Jonathan Hanley’s evangelist recitatives told an expressive and nuanced story; his control in passage work during the tenor arias was utterly convincing.’

Peterborough Telegraph - ‘Lovely songs like Der Nussbaum revealed Jonathan’s light and lyrical tenor voice with its glinting high notes… It was delightful to observe the non-verbal communication… to achieve near-perfect ensemble.’

Church Times - ‘… Jonathan Hanley, an exquisite tenor voice…’

York Press - ‘[Jonathan Hanley] has a lovely upper register which suited the [Britten]. His performance in He Journeys To Palestine and Nicolas And The Pickled Boys was very moving.’

stile antico & cheryl frances hoad

BachTrack - ‘A Gift of Heaven, written in 2024, in which the solo tenor (Stile Antico's wonderfully bright and clear Jonathan Hanley) recites the words over an atmospheric choir bed, revealed itself as a chorally elegant, dramatic and powerful inspiration and tribute.’, Jens Klier (06.25)

The Times - ‘Frances-Hoad sets this as a tenor recitative (admirably delivered by Jonathan Hanley)’, Richard Morrison (05.25)

Charles Hutch Press - ‘Lovely modern homage came from Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s A Gift Of Heaven, which dressed Palestrina’s style in modern clothing, even imitating him at the quotation of Latin text half-way through. Its significant tenor solo was handled with admirable aplomb by Jonathan Hanley.’, Martin Dreyer (05.25)

MusicOMH - ‘The prose text of Frances-Hoad’s A Gift of Heaven lends itself to a solo voice, and tenor Jonathan Hanley delivered its slightly angular lines with just the right fluidity over a quiet chordal background.’ Barry Creasy (05.25)

Ritmo.es - ‘The work commissioned to the current composer Cheryl Frances-Hoad, A gift of heaven, of which she spoke at the beginning of the text, was an authentic gift to discover the excellent solo tenor voice of Jonathan Hanley, of sweet timbre, ease and equality in all its vocal range and of very good scenic presence, putting on his lips the exciting words of Palestrina himself, while the rest of his companions accompanied him harmoniously with advanced but beautiful chords that drew suggestive and colorful sensations. When Hanley returned to work as a member singer of a whole, his immediate change of register was as effective as it was fascinating to demonstrate once again the commitment and humility of each member of the British group, something that makes them so special and absorbing.’ Simon Andueza (01.25)

John eliot gardiner & the monteverdi choir

The Times - ‘the pleasures of Jonathan Hanley’s tenor urging shepherds to pay Jesus a visit were easily matched by the delights of Rachel Beckett’s solo flute’ Richard Morrison (12.22)

Classical Explorer - ‘Rachel Beckett is the equally superb flute obbligato for "Frohe Hirten" (Joyful shepherds), with Jonathan Hanley (a name new to me) brilliantly agile as the tenor soloist.’ Colin Clarke (2024)

Opera Click - ‘Stratospheric vocal soloists, (above all, countertenor and tenor with perfect virtuosity).’ (06.25)

Süddeutsche Zeitung - ‘consistently outstanding soloists emerged from the Monteverdi Choir.’ (o6.25)

bachtrack - ‘The ceremony of the Musikalische Exequien took place with an organic, inspiring, emotionally intense reference to eternity, in which the impressive tenor Jonathan Hanley made a true appearance in the solos .’ (06.25)