PAUL ABRAHAM
Abraham: Ball at the Savoy (complete operetta sung in English) Alison Kelly, Gerald Frantzen, Ryan Trent Oldham, Cynthia Fortune Gruel / Folks Operetta, Anthony Barrese [ Naxos / 2 CD - released 9/Jul/2021 ] Hungarian composer Paul Abrahám enjoyed huge success across Europe with his 'jazz operettas', not least in Weimar Berlin where his works scored for an orchestra augmented by a jazz band caused a sensation. |
DANIEL-FRANCOIS AUBER
Auber: Overtures, Vol. 2 [Incls 'Violin Concerto in D Major, S. 165'] Markéta Čepická (violin) / Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Pardubice, Dario Salvi [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] The second volume in this series (Volume 1 is on 8.574005) continues to explore little-known examples of Auber's elegant and refined operatic music. Julie was his first stage work, its fantasia-like beauty foreshadowing the operas, opéras-comiques... |
J. S. BACH
Bach: Cello Suites, Vol. 1 - Nos. 1-3, BWV 1007-1009 (arr. J. McFadden for guitar) Jeffrey McFadden (guitar) [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] The six Cello Suites represent J.S. Bach's genius at its most distilled, with the composer confronting the enigma of writing counterpoint for a monophonic instrument at its core. Jeffrey McFadden's arrangement for guitar enhances the music, adding a... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Canons and Musical Jokes Cantus Novus Wien / Ensemble Tamanial, Thomas Holmes [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] One of the least explored areas of Beethoven's compositions is the miscellaneous sequence of canons, early exercises in counterpoint, mature jokes and jeux d'esprit that he wrote over many years. He composed a two-part canon for the composer Hummel... |
ESTEBAN BENZECRY
Benzecry: Ciclo de canciones / Violin Concerto / Clarinet Concerto Ayako Tanaka (Soprano) Xavier Inchausti (Violin) Mariano Rey (Clarinet) / Lviv National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Pablo Boggiano [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] French-Argentinian composer Esteban Benzecry has built up a distinctive body of work, from symphonies to works for solo piano. He stands as a worthy successor to such masters as Ginastera, Villa-Lobos and Chávez, with music that is suffused with... |
MARIO CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO
Castelnnovo-Tedesco: Guitar Quintet / Ecloghe / Fantasia / Sonatina for Flute and Guitar Leonard Becker (guitar), Chloé Dufossez (flute), Various Artists [ Naxos / CD - released 23/Jul/2021 ] Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco was one of Italy's most influential and important composers during the 20th century. He was inspired to write for the guitar after meeting Andrés Segovia. |
AARON JAY KERNIS / ASTOR PIAZZOLLA / ROBERTO SIERRA
Double Echo - New Guitar Concertos from the Americas David Tanenbaum (guitar) / New Century Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Derthick, Aaron Jay Kernis [ Naxos / CD - released 9/Jul/2021 ] This album of guitar concertos from the Americas features pieces composed for David Tanenbaum. Building on a tradition of prominent guitarists generating repertoire through new commissions, these works present the guitar in a variety of settings.... |
VIVALDI / ALBENIZ / OSCHER / CHARLIER / VILLA-LOBOS
Egregore+ : Trumpets and Chamber Orchestra Music Fábio Brum [Cornets, Trumpet, Flugelhorn] / Kammerensemble Konsonanz, Pacho Flores [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] The aim of this innovative album is to introduce listeners to the rich variety of sounds in the trumpet family and through the use of modern instruments-one especially developed for the project-to imbue the music with unique colours and textures. All... |
HERBERT HOWELLS
Howells: Piano Music, Vol. 1 [Incls Harlequin Dreaming & Summer Idyls] Matthew Schellhorn (piano) [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] With this album, Matthew Schellhorn sheds new light on Herbert Howells as a truly significant 20th-century composer for the piano. From the charming Summer Idyls, written before the composer began studies at the Royal College of Music, to the mature... |
ALBERT KETELBEY
Ketelbey: A Dream Picture - Piano Pieces Rosemary Tuck (piano) [ Naxos / CD - released 23/Jul/2021 ] Albert Ketèlbey reached such a pinnacle of eminence and popularity that in 1929 he was named as Britain's greatest living composer, based on the number of performances of his works. |
IAN KROUSE
Krouse: Nocturnes / Invocation Jessica Rivera (soprano) Vladimir Chernov (baritone) Maryanne Kim (Piano), etc [ Naxos American Classics / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] Ian Krouse has been acclaimed by Gramophone as "one of the most communicative and intriguing" of today's composers, his style drawing on historical and traditional influences as well as being innovative and modern. |
LORI LAITMAN
Laitman: The Secret Exit / I Never Saw Another Butterfly / Living in the Body (with works by Diana Rosenblum & Kalmen Opperman) Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk (Soprano) Denise Gainey (Clarinet) [ Naxos American Classics / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] This collection of songs with voice and clarinet has at its heart Lori Laitman's profoundly moving cycle I Never Saw Another Butterfly, which sets the words of hope and desolation written by children imprisoned in the Terezín concentration camp.... |
FERNANDO LOPES-GRACA
Lopes-Graca: Songs and Folk Songs, Vol. 2 Susana Gaspar (soprano) Ricardo Panela (baritone) Nuno Vieira de Almeida (piano) [ Naxos / CD - released 9/Jul/2021 ] Fernando Lopes-Graça was one of the greatest Portuguese composers of the 20th century. He composed songs in many genres, including folk-song arrangements, modernist settings of Portuguese poetry, and songs. |
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: Madrigals [Books 1 - 9] Delitiæ Musicæ, Marco Longhini [ Naxos / 15 CD Box Set - released 24/Jul/2020 ] The editions used in these recordings are the most authentic and uncut, and, in keeping with 17th-century practice, employ male voices only. Praised as 'compelling, simultaneously controlled and imaginative' (American Record Guide) |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: La finta giardiniera (complete opera recorded in 2018) BLU-RAY Teatro alla Scala / Krešimir Špicer, Julie Martin du Theil, Bernard Richter / Diego Fasolis (cond) [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 9/Jul/2021 ] "The whole, remarkably filmed by Daniela Vismara, is to be seen by all those who are reluctant to opera: conversion is guaranteed!" © 2021 Crescendo |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: La finta giardiniera (complete opera recorded in 2018) La Scala / Krešimir Špicer, Julie Martin du Theil, Bernard Richter / Diego Fasolis (cond) [ Naxos DVD / 2 DVD - released 9/Jul/2021 ] On 13 January La finta giardiniera, a dramma giocoso, was premiered at the Salvatortheater in Munich, then on 23 April the serenata Il re pastore was staged at the archbishop's palace in Salzburg. |
FRANCIS POTT
Pott: At First Light / Word Joseph Spooner (Cello) Christian Wilson (Organ) / Commotio, Matthew Berry [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] "Every now and then you hear a new work and feel that excitement, the knowledge that here is a piece that is going to become part of the landscape." Gramophone Editor's Choice Sept 2020 . |
FERDINAND REBAY
Rebay: Sonatas for Violin and Guitar / Sonata for Viola and Guitar Laurence Kayaleh (Violin) Michael Kolk (Guitar) [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] Ferdinand Rebay was born in Vienna where he studied piano and composition, winning the Brahms Prize. He wrote operas, a symphony, concertos and many songs, but was increasingly drawn to writing for the guitar for which he wrote 600 pieces of various... |
JOAQUIN RODRIGO / MANUEL PONCE
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez / Ponce: Concierto del sur Junhong Kuang (guitar) / Czech Chamber Philharmonic, Pardubice, Darrell Ang [ Naxos Spanish Classics / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez is the most celebrated classical guitar work of the 20th century, music that conjures up the colour, sophistication and glories of eternal Spain. |
GIOACHINO ROSSINI
Rossini: Le Nozze di Teti e di Peleo [cantata] Joshua Stewart (Tenor) Leonor Bonilla (Soprano) ...Marina Comparato (Mezzo-soprano), etc / Virtuosi Brunensis, Pietro Rizzo [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] Rossini composed Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo, an allegorical cantata on the theme of the wedding between the sea goddess Thetis and the hero Peleus. |