“…a powerful player, possessed of an unfailing musicianship…an almost symphonic range of colors and articulations…”
– Al Kunze, Soundboard Vol 45 No. 4
Four Extraordinary Spanish Guitars CD
On Speak Love, seven songs for medium voice and guitar: “…breathtaking and instantly engaging. From the opening melody of Were I a Bird, Frank Wallace captures the listener with his intriguing sense of beauty. He uses odd time signatures, arpeggio bursts, rhythmic themes, chromaticism, unmeasured passages, harmonics and tambours to bring these words to life. No matter how intricate the tuplets or the time signatures, the melodies remain graceful and intensely expressive.”
– David Isaacs, Soundboard Vol 40, No.1
“Each piece composed by Frank Wallace that I have had the opportunity to see has been a joy… this nice, short chamber composition for cello and guitar [Random Act] is, in many ways, perfectly balanced. Its general structure, its musical language, its treatment of both instruments, and so on, show a very stable and skillful author. Furthermore, I am very happy to find, throughout his music, that he seems to be one of those guitar music creators who really has something new to say.”
– Uros Dojcinovic, Soundboard
“The breadth of his musical activity recalls an earlier age, when a complete musician engaged in a broad range of creative activities…Wallace’s music is exciting, unpredictable, and fresh…”
– Steven Rings, American Record Guide
“…elegant virtuosity and Gyre’s gorgeous sonics…”
– Jed Distler, classicstoday.com
“The concert by Frank Wallace was a veritable tour de force“
– Tom Kerstens, Classical Guitar (London)
“an authentic expressive voice… high standard of musical interest… flawless technical proficiency.”
– Walter Simmons, Fanfare, Nov/Dec 2005
On The Great Deep – Duo LiveOak , songs of Frank Wallace for mezzo-soprano and guitar: “Wallace’s music is cleanly modern while drawing on ancient themes…a musical creativity that has a voice of its own, that takes us on a contemplative journey through not only the soul of a bird [Epitafio a un Pajaro] or even humanity, but of a state of being that is the planet earth. Wallace is one of our age’s truly important composers, his music at once arresting, thoughtful, accessible, revealing…and restful.”
– Jonathan Richmond review, 5/3/11 The Tech (MIT)
“…his playing shows what [the music] can sound like in the hands (and mind) of a real artist.”
– Ken Keaton, American Record Guide
Four Extraordinary Spanish Guitars CD
“Frank Wallace plays his own works with inspiration, determination, and a wealth of creativity. With top notch playing and excellent compositions, this synthesis is a spectacular success. / …he can match the musicality of any player out there…orchestral ideas in his playing…natural phrasing and rhythm…playing is virtuosic but always in a musically convincing way.”
– Bradford Werner, This Is Classical Guitar
“…a true master of his instrument…His dynamic range is impressive, and his gradations of tone, constantly singing line, and sensitive musicianship confirm his ‘elegant virtuosity’ (www.classicstoday.com)”
– Robert Schulslaper, Fanfare
“It is easy to feel an intimate connection to the ethereal beauty of Frank Wallace’s compositions not only because of their individual splendor, but also because of the lush tone and sensitive perfection with which Wallace executes his music… a brilliant collection of new repertoire performed by its composer, who happens to play with equal amounts of grace, sensitivity, and virtuosity.”
– Stephen Griesgraber, Guitar Review
“contemporary musical emancipation emanating out of John Dowland…his lute songs and guitar songs at times also hint at flamenco and Japanese koto traditions and harmonies reminiscent of Tristan, plus the poetry he sets is mostly contemporary: Theodore Roethke, Robert Creeley, etc. As Duo LiveOak, Wallace accompanies pure- voiced mezzo-soprano Nancy Knowles (who also has written many of the texts) and occasionally joins her in song with his baritone voice. Wait a minute? Isn’t that starting to sound like a pop album, albeit an unplugged one? Perhaps this album is further proof of the meaninglessness of such terms as “classical” and “pop.”
– Frank Oteri, NewMusicBox.org
“In over 25 years of writing about music on recordings and in concerts, I have rarely been as captivated and enchanted by any item as this new CD from Duo LiveOak…This is a first-rate chamber music duo…”
– John W. Lambert, Classical Voice North Carolina
“It is extremely unusual to listen to a self-accompanying singer…Mr. Wallace seems equally adroit at both skills…I cannot but congratulate [him] for infusing new life into this neglected art.”
– Antonio Corona-Alcalde, Lute Society of America Quarterly/span>