“…virtuosic playing in Vivaldi’s atmospheric Cello Concerto in C minor, seeming to emerge straight out of the Venetian mists and played with rapid-fire brilliance by the Consort’s Jonathan Manson.”

“…it would be hard to imagine a more beautiful or sensitive rendition than that given by Jonathan Manson, whose sound captivated, and whose honest intensity humbled.”

“A really lovely aria by Abel, ‘Frena la belle lagrime’, brought soprano Rachel Nicholls to the stage briefly to surrender the limelight to Jonathan Manson’s exquisitely turned viola de gamba obbligato before entwining her vocal line with his in a timely reminder that there was life before Mozart dispensing this level of enchantment.”

“Manson was more than equal to its technical demands – agile in the rapid passagework and unfazed by Boccherini’s frequent use of the instrument’s upper register for heightened brilliance, a feat all the more impressive because Manson’s cello was not supported by a floor spike. He was especially poignant in the sparsely textured slow movement, scored solely for cello and violins – an absolutely entrancing performance.”

“Melodies jovial or tender slipped gracefully from his fingers. Agile elegance marked the virtuoso bursts of double stopping, the leaping pitches, the darting scales.”

“Manson… let the melodies breathe and dance with pure intonation and ripe sound…”

“Noble tone production, faultless security of technique and intonation made his playing pure pleasure.”

“Manson offered a remarkable performance of the Suite No. 1 in G. He played with a pure, warm, vibratoless tone and lilting phrasing, imbuing the work with an elegant freshness and soulful introspection.”

“wonderfully poetic… Jonathan Manson’s mesmerising viola da gamba in “Komm, süsses Kreuz”

“…beautifully lyrical and expressive interpretations… showed his expert sense of timing. His deftness of touch… was a delight.”