Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto

[…] the Orchestra's playing was full of spirit, and they sang out the melodies, playing with a total absence of any artificiality that fully conveyed the joy of the music…there is something distinctly italian about the Orchestra's clear tone colour and carefree expression, the gorgeously rich sound of the Orchestra, capturing perfectly the brilliant youthfulness of Beethoven's music […] what came to light was an uncontrived, rich and altogheter excellent performance […]

Hiroshi Honobe
(ONGAKU-NO-TOMO MAGAZINE , 5 maggio 2002)