Solo CD Reviews

A2771 Small Treasures (Released October 2025)

 …superb pianistic technique, with a transparent tonal image and yet with the necessary simplicity. These are indeed ‘Small Treasures’ presented here in a convincing and thoughtfully curated programme. And like treasures, the pianist treats each piece in her interpretation with care and expressive sensitivity…a successful recording to which one gladly returns repeatedly in order to appreciate all its nuances.
Irmgard Knechtges-Obrecht, The Schumann Journal 2026, Issue 13/1. (Translated from German)

This album is a beautiful journey into the world of all these composers.
Emilie Munera — France Musique

Her agility is captivating, her lightness and nuanced playing inspiring…
Katharina Hirschmann — ORF (Austrian Radio)

…she has a special secret weapon at her disposal…she is excellently alive to the presence of music in silence. She allows as much meaning to lurk between the notes as in the sound itself. Not all pianists do.
Jessica Duchen – BBC Music Magazine

Sarah Beth Briggs perfectly captures the shifting moods and images with sensitivity and nuance, creating a powerful sense of intimacy…
Frances Wilson — ArtMuseLondon

Top-of-the-line pianism…
Mark Estren — Infodad.com

Throughout Briggs impresses not only with polished technique, but with the ability to deftly characterize each of these short pieces. The excellent sound certainly contributes to the overall effect. In all, a fine recital, highly recommended.
Fanfare, USA

Briggs is a strong communicator, and finds the personal heart of Schumann’s Waldszenen …clarity the watchword of this interpretation…these finely played accounts are a treat…
Arcana fm

Sarah brings a delightful spontaneity to these short pieces…supple phrasing, subtle dynamics and a warm tone…the closing Gigue by Mozart is a little sparkle of joy…playing which demonstrates warmth, affection, sensitivity, simplicity, intimacy and thought.
Interlude.hk

Poulenc so Gallic in its enchantment that one can smell the Gauloises, and skin-rippling Brahms Op.119/1, which appears to suspend time in the liquid phrasing…if I may single out a single highlight it would have to be a Schumann Arabeske so poetically inspired, so heart- warmingly radiant, so naturally empathic that it feels as though there is a direct hot-line to the composer.
Julian Haylock

AV 2569 Variations (Released March 2023)

Sarah Beth Briggs has achieved an astonishing pianistic feat…the Brahms moves one to tears in this delicately felt mourning. Absolutely recommendable!
Online Merker

Sarah Beth Briggs’ rewarding programme of variations traces a path from Mozart to Brahms, finding plenty of contrast and insight along the way…Briggs navigates especially skilfully the early-Romantic storms of Mendelssohn’s Variations Sérieuses, giving them plenty of brilliance, lyricism and energy…Her playing is as attentive and detailed as her programming, convincingly creating a different atmosphere for each composer.
BBC Music Magazine

Sarah Beth Briggs’ exceptional CD of Variations
Rob Cowan

Lovely music, elegant playing
American Record Guide

Sarah Beth Briggs, a pupil of British pianist Denis Matthews, has assembled a program of variations that, despite its familiarity in choice of repertory, permits the artist a distinct panoply of keyboard hues and inflections that warrant attention…..once more we can savor the color Briggs elicits from her keyboard…played with a transparent relish by Briggs
Fanfare

…a programme casting a beguiling light on music both familiar and less so…I love it!
International Piano

AV2418 – The Austrian Connection (Released June 2020)

Lyricism and dance are the watchwords of Briggs’ beautifully prepared performances…a player at the height of her powers
Musical Opinion *****

Briggs’ interpretations can certainly bear comparison with any and her programme is unique and illuminating
Guy Rickards

Das furiose flüchtige Schlusspresto gibt noch einmal Gelegenheit, auf dieser ureigenen österreichischen Musikreise die Ohren ganz weit aufzusperren, die stilistische Bandbreite des Gebotenen zu bewundern als auch Danke zu sagen für diese schöne und wichtige musikalische Liebeserklärung der hervorragenden Sarah Beth Briggs an Hans Gál.

The final Presto, passionate and elusive, gives another opportunity to become all ears for this very Austrian musical journey, to marvel at the stylistic range of the programme offered, and to also say thank you for this beautiful and important musical declaration of love to Hans Gál by the outstanding pianist Sarah Beth Briggs.
Online Merkel

The opening movement of Schubert’s A major Piano Sonata (D664) is bewitching: shapely phrasing, sensitive touch, and attentively yet naturally dynamic. This is a lovely performance overall, soulful in the slow movement, frolicsome and feisty in the Finale.
Colin’s Column

…the sparkling clarity of Briggs’s performance
BBC Music Magazine ****

Briggs’ playing has all the prerequisite warmth and eloquence, and her phrasing is imaginative and characterful…The release gets my enthusiastic endorsement.
MusicWeb International

There is chiarscuro and drama aplenty here too, and once again, these emotional voltes faces are handled with an eloquent sensitivity… a varied and stimulating Austrian musical journey
ArtMuseLondon