Rufus Müller - tenor
"...a world-class Evangelist, Rufus Müller, performing his massive narration entirely from memory and with the most subtle pacing and emphasis..." The Times, April 2007
“Among the soloists, the standout was Rufus Müller, easily the best tenor I have ever heard in a live "Messiah." He has demonstrated that the size of a voice is less important than the sound of it: his voice had so much substance and color that it seemed downright dramatic. His excellent technique was displayed right at the start, with a messa di voce - swelling the sound from a pianissimo to a forte and bringing it back down - at the beginning of "Comfort ye" that should have gotten everyone's attention. Incidentally, this was Mr. Müller's third "Messiah" in three days at Carnegie Hall: he sang the first Musica Sacra performance on Sunday, then, on Monday, with the Oratorio Society of New York... You might have expected Mr. Müller to sound a little tired; instead, he sounded as if it had just warmed him up.”
New York Times, December 2005
“The major delights of the evening came from the two soloists, both of whom are Grade-A singers. Rufus Müller, a highly expressive singer with a very beautiful voice, was heard to best effect in the more expressive items, such as Where'er You Walk and Tune Your harps from Esther.” Calgary Herald, Canada 2005
“Müller filled the hall with his beautiful lyric tenor tone and dramatic flourishes that brought the text alive. He moved easily from colourful melisma to assertive declamation, always with a strong soloist’s charisma.” Edmonton Journal, Canada 2004
“…an evening of magical music-making…beginning with a stunning performance of Beethoven’s great song Adelaide with Müller demonstrating not ony a fine lyrical tone and immaculate diction, but also considerable reserves of sheer vocal power; a full operatic voice of remarkable quality.”
Sunday Tribune, Dublin 2001
“…Rufus Müller as the Sultan Soliman exuded authority…”
The Guardian, London
“It is the principal tenor Rufus Müller with his flexible voice and subtle text-expression who is the musical backbone of the performance. De Volskrant, The Netherlands
“… an evening of magical music-making beginning with a stunning performance of Beethoven’s Adelaide with Müller demonstrating not only a fine lyrical tone and immaculate diction, but also considerable reserves of sheer vocal power, a full operatic voice of remarkable quality.” The Sunday Tribune, Dublin
“…Müller’s heroic-toned Tamino phrases his Portrait aria poetically…”
The Sunday Times, London
“…this dramatic tenor is everything an oratorio needs – clear, thrilling and dramatic in everything he did.” Toronto Star
“In a superlative, mostly American troupe of singers …. I was especially struck by the sweet intensity of Rufus Müller’s Evangelist.” New York Observer
“…the songs were…projected with a vocal freedom and interpretative eloquence that took the breath away.” New York Magazine
“Müller has one of the finest baroque tenor voices I’ve heard – and used it with great musical intelligence. The most demanding of melismas…seemed easy for him”
Oakland Tribune
“The English-born tenor is an accomplished stylist with a voice that blends charm of tone with unaffected ease of manner, and a discreet sensibility to work and phrase.”
The Times, London
“Rufus Müller was outstanding for his shaping of melodic line.” Independent, London
Rufus Müller’s Evangelist is superb in its animated lyricism (far from the standard figure of passive condolence).” Independent on Sunday, London