« ...Alain Lefèvre the hero. Lefèvre achieved one of the most memorable, agressive and probing readings of the Emperor Concerto in memory.
The musical thrust could take the breath away, yet pianistic control reigned in every bar. Excitement informed all the climactic points, yet caressive passages received detailed scrutiny: an extraordinary achievement...against which subsequent Emperors will have to be judged. » « The emotion was at its peak when Alain Lefèvre performed Gershwin's Concerto in F at SPAC with the Philadelphia Orchestra: (...)
The audience loved it and Lefèvre gave them an encore: an original jazz composition that had flying fingers, two-handed progression and lots of éclat. » « Alain Lefèvre was met with a rousing ovation as soon as he strode onto the stage and Nézet-Séguin was beaming. Listening to Lefèvre on one of his CDs is always entertaining, watching him play is mesmerizing.
Nézet-Séguin had the orchestra in fine shape, jumping into the four-page orchestral introduction of Gershwin's Concerto in F with a tight, disciplined sound that set up Lefèvre's attack nicely. At times he played with a lightening fury that almost veered off into another realm. The work's first movement closes on such a tremendous flourish that begged for and got a thunderous ovation. » « Lefèvre's smashing performance of the Piano Concerto No. 1 (Tchaikovsky), was propelled by an irresistible momentum and a sense of exuberant virtuosity that projected joy and excitement. Fleischer was and admirable collaborator in this, and together the two made the old war horse sound fresh and youthful. » « Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.4 Op.40 (original 1926 version) Alain Lefèvre, Montreal Symphony Orchestra / Kent Nagano (...) Alain Lefèvre and Kent Nagano offer a crisply executed and superb recording with razor-sharp responses to Rachmaninov's complex rhythms and rapid changes of metre. » « As said before, Alain Lefèvre is spectacular. He has steely fingers and an enormous sound. I can only hope he gets to record a number of Romantic warhorse concertos, because he brings a great intelligence to his already prodigious technique. » « Rhapsodies / Alain Lefèvre (piano) / Montreal Symphony Orchestra / Matthias Bamert « an essential purchase. »
... the Rhapsodie romantique (André Mathieu) ... is a glorious piece that all die-hard Romantic should definitely hear. Lefèvre generates the greatest passion and excitement... » «
"Electrifying piano playing..."
"Mr. Lefèvre presents a dashing figure at the keyboard, his work is equally sparkling. In Mathieu's demonically difficult works. M. Lefèvre's fingers danced over the keyboard, he played not a single opaque measure, and that cleanliness, that obviously instinctive musicianship, led to playing which I can only call brilliant".

"Mr. Lefèvre played the solo part with clarity, commitment and force."
"...Orchestra of St. Luke's and pianist Alain Lefèvre shed light on another prodigy: the Canadian composer André Mathieu. (...) Following this dazzling set of fireworks, Mr. Lefèvre returned for one encore, a last dazzling example of Mathieu's pianistic invention."

"Powerful playing..."
"Lefèvre got his best opportunity yet to display his opulent, crowd-pleasing flair backed up by admirable technique and, in the quieter passages, an austere sensitivity that drew out the music's emotional complexities."

» «
" Hailed as a new Mozart, pronounced a genius by Rachmaninov, and soloist at the age of twelve with the New York Philharmonic in his own Concertino, the Quebecois André Mathieu (1929-1968), a student of Honegger in the 1940s, was set to become a towering figure of 20th-century music, had he not succumbed to alcoholism leading to an early demise. His oeuvre, which runs to over two-hundred works, would still be virtually unknown were it not for the admirable efforts of the charismatic Canadian pianist Alain Lefèvre, who has recently made award-winning recordings (for Analekta) and a film (awaiting its UK screening), and who gave a compelling performance of Mathieu's Concertino for Piano and Orchestra No.2 composed when the composer was just five-and-a-half, offered an astonishing musical experience.
(...) Adding an intriguing context to the work was Lefèvre's virtuoso and witty account of the Shostakovich's Piano Concerto, composed just a year earlier, in 1933. Lefèvre propelled the work with élan, especially the burlesque-style interjections in the outer movements in dialogue with the outstanding trumpet solo of Paul Archibald. » « Lefèvre is a pianist who breaks the mold. His performance of Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto was musically arresting from the start - a triumphant debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra... Lefèvre brought a sense of occasion and magic to the evening, with his own composition - Balalaïka - as an encore.
The audience loved it.
» « Alain Lefevre (...) truly stands out from the typical trends and artifices offered on the international scene » « An artistic winner » « Lefèvre has his "˜date" with destiny
The French-Canadian Lefèvre not only conquered the score's immense challenges (John Corigliano's Piano Concerto), he did it with an incandescent musical conviction. The term « tour de force  suffers from overuse, but an astounding performance like Lefèvre's is what is was invented to describe.
» « ... Unbridled virtuosity.
Alain Lefèvre possesses 10 of the most agile fingers to have emerged from the Quebec in the recent years.
» « The evening came to a smashing end with the Shostakovitch Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor performed by Alain Lefèvre. The racing first and third movement came easily to the energetic Lefèvre. But speed isn't the only style he's good at, the melodic Lento displayed his talent for passionate piano playing.
» « Alain Lefèvre plays with surging lyricism and power...
this is not just another mechanically virtuosic young pianist, but an authentic romantic artist. His strong attack, nuanced phrasing and rich sonority make you sit up in your seat.
» «
"Agile fingers.
Alain Lefèvre has given full honors to his reputation of owning some of the most agile ten fingers in the world. (...) extraordinary sensibility - heroic highlights (...) It is no wonder that a frenzied applause was an unavoidable consequence.

"Storms of applause
Here is an artist who is more conscious about celebrating the natural beauty of the music, with a breath of nostalgia. It was a great experience (...).
Lefèvre overcame with genuine grandezza, and with an enviable pianistic touch, without even raising the suspicion of using superficial brilliance or self-gratification.
It is precisely that which makes his interpretation such a great one.
» « The star of the evening was the French-Canadian Alain Lefèvre, who performed Grieg's A minor Piano Concerto. He is a sovereign pianist... The technical aspects performed in a somewhat Lisztian manner, were the highlights and brought rapturous response.
» « “Alain Lefèvre displayed sovereign mastery of the work’s difficulties (Gershwin’s Concerto in F). … such mastered virtuosity and energetic attacking swing.”
» « Mozart with Verve and Esprit.
Alain Lefèvre proved himself to be talented and energetic in whatever he plays. His appearance was the most applauded highlight of the evening.
» « This young man (Lefèvre) is a phenomenon. He reminded me of a description Bernard Shaw used for the great Paderewski. He sounds, intoned Shaw, as if he plays with steel fingers. And so does Lefèvre.
There's a crisp almost crystalline clarity and attack that's like hearing the piano hammer snap a glass rod rather than hitting a string. Lefèvre wasted no time showing what a phenomenal technique he has in blazing, bravura performances of the Scherzo from Littolf's Concerto Symphonique No. 4, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and a really extraodinary performance of the finale of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2. It simply had the house on its feet, yelling with applause.
» « Lefèvre warmly welcomed in Paris
Lefèvre played the Rachmaninov Concerto No. 3 to perfection. His interpretation of this particularly difficult piece, raised the enthusiasm of the public.
» « Alain Lefèvre's performance of John Corigliano's Piano Concerto No.1 (...)is still going to stand out as one of the most remarkable - perhaps not just
of the season but the decade.
The ovation was also, of course, for Lefèvre, who attacked the work like a man
possessed by its emotional brilliance and gripped his listeners with the dazzlements of his playing and the persuasive sign of his own emotions.
» « ... The fabulous pianist Alain Lefèvre... A listening discovery, the likes of which you don't make every day in our concert halls...
» « Liszt Transcriptions: Bach, Wagner.
This brilliant, spaced-out recital of Liszt transcriptions (...) is as groundbreaking an illumination of Liszt's' transformational art as Gould's was of Bach's pure art nearly half a century ago. (...) Lefevre also gets inside Bach's emotional world as interpreted by Liszt to an almost unparalleled degree. » « Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.4 Op.40 (original 1926 version)
Alain Lefèvre, Montreal Symphony Orchestra / Kent Nagano
Pianist Alain Lefèvre is a powerful player. He is the exemplar of the player that Rachmaninov Fourth needs.
» « Powerful performance -Lefèvre's virtuosity indisputable
Alain Lefèvre / Winnipeg Symphony / Alexander Mickelthwate
André Mathieu - Piano Concerto No.4
Many gifted soloists come, and many go, yet few perform with the type of breathtaking conviction displayed by Lefèvre.(...) the crowd leapt to their feet with a prolonged standing ovation, clearly wanting more. » « Alain Lefèvre in concert with JoAnn Falletta and André Mathieu's Concerto No.4:
Dazzling, electrifying, astounding, dantesque, sublime. It is impossible to run out of words to praise Alain Lefèvre's recent performance with the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec... » « One of the world's foremost solo pianists... » « It is quite clear from the first cadence in the Bach prelude, that here was a grand pianist. His percussion was beautiful; every note rang crystal clear (...) The contrasts were deep, dramatic, great and the performance of Lefèvre magnificent. »