Paul Witteman, De Volkskrant, October 28, 2006

'Deze week zag ik in Amsterdam een optreden van The Royal Wind Music, een ensemble van dertien jonge blokfluitisten onder leiding van hun goeroe Paul Leenhouts. Ze speelden muziek uit de Renaissance van onder anderen Sweelinck, Schuyt en Desprez. Hoffelijke muziek die je doet dromen van arcadische landschappen. Ademloos zat ik te luisteren naar het warme geluid dat ooit een einde had gemaakt aan mijn onderwijsambities.'

[This week I saw in Amsterdam [Concertgebouw] a performance of the Royal Wind Music, an ensemble of 13 young recorder players under the leadership of their guru Paul Leenhouts. They played music from the Renaissance including works by Sweelinck, Schuyt, and Desprez; court music that lets you dream of archaic landscapes. Breathless I sat listening to this warm sound that once halted my ambitions for teaching.]

Gianluca Barbaro (16-10-2006)

Il clou della manifestazione c'è stato, come da prammatica, alla chiusura, con il concerto dell'ensemble Royal Wind Music (http://www.royalwindmusic.org/): un doppio sestetto fondato e diretto da Paul Leenhouts e formato esclusivamente da allievi ed ex studenti del Conservatorio di Amsterdam. Semplicemente mozzafiato. I dodici musicisti (diventati tredici in alcuni brani con il direttore) hanno suonato su strumenti rinascimentali costruiti da Adriana Breukink, dal soprano al sub-contrabbasso in Fa: un "cannone" di quasi tre metri d'altezza. Un'esecuzione impeccabile per intonazione, precisione negli attacchi e nelle parti all'unisono (con strumenti dalle dimensioni così diverse!) e per la ricchezza dinamica che sono stati in grado di offrire.

Pablo J. Vayón, Diario de Sevilla, Spain,  March 26,  2006

'Con un programa de danzas, canzonas, recercadas, corales y motetes de músicos centroeuropeos de los siglos XVI y XVII (Praetorius, Scheidt, Buxtehude...) arreglados para sus instrumentos, los jóvenes (procedentes de Holanda, España, Australia, Alemania, Grecia y Estonia) mostraron un sonido hermoso, magníficamente empastado y modelado con flexibilidad y exquisito gusto, fiel reflejo de unas brillantes condiciones individuales y de un trabajo de conjunto disciplinado y arduo, como demuestra el hecho de que hicieran todo el programa sin partitura.'

[With a program arranged for their instruments of dances, canzonas, recercari, chorales and motets of Central European musicians from the XVI and XVII centuries (Praetorous, Scheidt, Buxtehude…), the young performers (who originate from The Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Germany, Greece and Estonia) displayed a beautiful sound, wonderfully blended and shaped with flexibility and a refined taste. It was a clear reflection of brilliant individuality and disciplined, arduous work, which is particularly demonstrated in the fact that they played the whole program without music.]

Marco Antonio de la Ossa, La Tribuna de Cuenca, Spain, March 21, 2006

'Esta formación con sede en Amsterdam (en su conservatorio han estudiado la práctica totalidad de sus componentes) causa admiración desde el primer momento. (...) Contando con una bellísima colección de instrumentos en escena, obra de Adriana Breukink (enorme y sorprendente la sub-contrabajo sobre todo, con una altura de más de tres metros), supo el conjunto encontrar el canal ideal en un interesante programa centrado en la música alemana de consort de los siglos XVI y XVII. Junto a esto, sorprende también la conjunción, musicalidad y juventud de sus integrantes (...). Y, aún más, siempre con notable lectura dinámica y denotando un concienzudo y muy profesional trabajo, destaca por sí sola su interpretación memorística, sin apoyarse en ningún momento en partitura alguna durante los cerca de 90 minutos de concierto. (...) Ambiente sutil, sereno, reflexivo, The Royal Wind Music fue dibujando paulatinamente una propuesta sensual, elegante, de gran calado. Destacaron, dentro de una primera sección más pausada, las delicadas 'Ontwaekt van Slaep' de Theodor Evertz, 'A solis ortus cardine', de J. Praetorius II y, sobre todo, la bellísima 'Galliarda Zibotte', de Georg Engelmann, en una atmósfera honda, sosegada, bien escogida. (...) The Royal Wind Music, pausada y sutil concordia, supo sobresalir en una excelente velada."

[This ensemble, which is based in Amsterdam (where almost all the members studied in the city’s Conservatory), demanded admiration from the very first moment (…). They used a beautiful collection of instruments (the work of Adriana Breukink), the most surprising of which being the enormous sub-contrabass recorder, more than three meters tall. The players found an ideal expressive means in an interesting program that focused on German consort music from the XVI and XVII centuries. Astounding also was the unity, the musicality and the youth of its members (…) and, even more, their remarkable dynamic interpretation, demonstrating a conscientious and highly professional level of work. Outstandingly they performed from memory, without leaning on a single score at any time during the approximately 90 minute long concert. (…). In a subtle, calm and thoughtful atmosphere, The Royal Wind Music gradually unfolded a deeply touching, sensual and elegant program. In particular, during the calmer first half of the concert, the delicate ‘Ontwaekt van Slaep’ from Theodor Evertz, ‘A solis ortus cardine’, from J. Praetorius II and, above all, the beautiful ‘Galliarda Zibote’, from Georg Engelmann, sat well in a deep, quiet and well-chosen atmosphere. (…). The Royal Wind Music, a calm and subtle unit, knew how to create an excellent evening.]

A. J. B. González, Revista de Flauta de Pico, Spain, 2004

‘Se reconocen en la grabación la claridad de las voces, precisión en los ataques, fluida articulación y ritmos apenas oscurecidos, muy difíciles en grupos de tan grandes dimensiones.’

[The recording displays clarity of the voices, precision in entrances, fluent articulation, and clear rhythmical elements, all of which are very difficult to achieve in such a large ensemble.]

ARTAFacts,USA, December 2004
(Colin Touchin)

'the Friday evening performance of purely English Renaissance music directed by Paul Leenhouts was highly prepared with detailed and loving attention to phrasing a hallmark of almost every bar of each piece: the dozen players produced a remarkable dynamic range and displayed wit and charm, grace and serenity in an expressively inspired 90-minute concert played entirely from memory.’

Goldberg Magazine, Spain, 2004 (Véronique Lafrgue)

‘The flautists of the Royal Wind Band, clearly enjoy an excellent rapport and form a remarkably unified ensemble. Their programme is appealing from the outset with Schein´s Suite X, which features a full sound, accurate tempi, and striking dance movements. The Band is marvellous in the seventeenth century German repertoire, as well as in Renaissance vocal polyphony.’ 

Read the complete review (in Spanish, French or English) here.

The Times, London, 1999

‘The world’s only complete recorder consort, The Royal Wind Music handled their assignment in the Purcell Room with an exemplary mixture of imagination, enthusiasm and taste, treating their music and their audience with equal respect ...’ 

Peter Grahame Woolf, Musicweb UK, 1999

‘This is a large scale recorder consort playing of a quality I had not thought possible. Intonation and ensemble were perfect, even on a hot summer evening in the Queen Elisabeth Hall ...

The Guardian,
England, 1999

‘The Venetian Bassano family were head-hunted by Henry VIII to form a recorder consort, now re-created by Paul Leenhouts’ Royal Wind Music, whose unique range of instruments features a three-metre-long subcontra bass ...’ 

Leeuwarder Courant Leeuwarden
The Netherlands, 2000

‘Impressive performance on unusual instruments...’

WHAT, Waterford, Ireland, 2000

‘Presentations like this resound and reverberate long after. The RWM has left some lovely memories...’

Munster Express
Online, Kilkenny,
Ireland, 2000

‘The range of sizes and tones was amazing. The sound of the recorder consort created a real period feel with stately court dances, galliards and Italian canzone in a suitable melancholic style that echoed a Shakespearean mood ...’

PNP, Passau, Germany, 2001

‘Virtuosität und Musizierlust ..., Artikulation, wie man sie so mancher klassischen Besetzung nur wünschen kann’

 ["Virtuosity and musicality...articulation, that one can expect only from a few classical formations"]

El Día de Cuenca, Spain, 2002

‘Desde que comenzó [el concierto], me hipnotizó el sonido de las flautas. Era un empaste perfectamente afinado de sonidos puros. Era como un gran órgano, muy especial y nunca oído’

[From the moment the concert started, I was hypnotized by the sound of the recorders. It was a perfect mix of pure sounds: like a very special, never heard organ"]

Maruxa Baliñas, Mundo Clásico, Spain, 2004

‘A este primer atractivo, la originalidad de una agrupación por lo menos para mí conocida sólo teóricamente, se une en una segunda audición el placer de escuchar unas versiones bien informadas -el director Paul Leenhouts es responsable de las realizaciones- y con gran cuidado de los detalles (ornamentaciones, dinámicas, equilibrio entre los instrumentos)’.

[To the originality of a setting that I only knew theoretically, the pleasure of listening to very well informed versions is added (the conductor, Paul Leenhouts, is responsible of all the arrangements), with a good care of details (like ornamentation, dynamics, and the balance between the instruments]