Naxos of Canada

11/04/2025

The GRAMMY Award-winning team of composer Michael Daugherty, conductor David Alan Miller and the Albany Symphony returns with a new album comprising a set of remarkable works exploring associations with flight and space exploration, both tragic and triumphant. In this podcast, the composer explains the context and inspiration behind the three works on the programme: from aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart’s mysterious disappearance in 1937, to rock ’n roll legend Buddy Holly’s tragic death in a plane crash just hours after his final performance in 1959, and Neil Armstrong’s role in the triumphant Apollo 11 moon mission in 1969. Raymond Bisha presents.

Listen to the podcast here:

Raymond Bisha presents a new album comprising a set of remarkable works exploring associations with flight and space exploration

11/04/2025

Award-winning Canadian composer Christopher Tyler Nickel - Composer adds to his impressive catalogue of large-scale liturgical works with a double-bill featuring his Mass and Te Deum, composed concurrently and completed in 2022. As with previous works – including Requiem, and the seven-hour long oratorio The Gospel According to Mark – Chris’ spirituality infuses his music with melancholy and meditative qualities. Haunting intimacy, a predilection for chant-like melodies and allusions to Medieval music, and plangent orchestral colours, give these two new sacred works a feeling of timelessness. Listeners will recognise Chris’ penchant for unusual combinations of instruments – a quartet from the oboe family in both works, with the lesser heard oboe d’amore and bass oboe alongside oboe and cor anglais; and a pair of Wagner tubas in the Mass. Chris once again collaborates with soprano Catherine Redding, the Vancouver Chamber Choir and Vancouver Contemporary Orchestra under the baton of Clyde Mitchell – who on previous releases of Chris’ music have delivered “emotionally stirring performances” (The WholeNote). Available now at www.isotopemusic.com AVIE Records

10/04/2025

There is often an occasion for great concerts, but there are rarely several good reasons for a concert recording of an outstanding musical event. 2024 marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Austrian composer Anton Bruckner. For the Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt, Bruckner is a genius and the greatest symphonist since Beethoven. No composer is more closely associated with Herbert Blomstedt than Anton Bruckner. And no conductor has dealt with Anton Bruckner more intensively than Maestro Herbert Blomstedt. Probably the world’s longest-serving conductor, with an eventful career spanning seven decades, Herbert Blomstedt celebrated his 97th birthday on July 11, 2024. Closely associated with him for years: the Bamberg Symphony, which he has conducted in almost 200 concerts in Germany and over 20 concerts abroad. In honor of Anton Bruckner and Herbert Blomstedt, the Bamberg Symphony planned a special gift to their honorary conductor. On July 11, 2024, the day of his 97th birthday, Blomstedt conducted Bruckner’s 9th Symphony in the Basilica of St. Florian, a place to which Anton Bruckner held close ties throughout his life. The great symphonist began his musical career as a Florian choirboy and later continued there as organist of St. Florian. Anton Bruckner was repeatedly drawn back to the abbey, where he found his final resting place under the organ. Available at www.isotopemusic.com Accentus Music

09/04/2025

Born in 1875, Ravel was fêted during the 1920s and ’30s as France’s greatest living composer – a remarkable achievement considering the obstacles placed in his path by the ultra-conservative Parisian musical elite of his time. (Ravel was expelled from the Paris Conservatoire twice!). His unique musical style, combining classical form and impressionistic harmony, makes his work immediately recognisable. Compared to others, Ravel, immensely self-critical, was a slow and conscientious composer, but almost all his relatively small output remains in the repertoire and is performed and recorded regularly. The piano was Ravel’s first instrument, and although he was no virtuoso himself, he successfully composed some of the most virtuosic pieces in the repertoire, reflecting his extraordinary understanding of the instrument and exactly what sounds and effects he wanted to achieve. He orchestrated a significant number of his piano works, which presents another challenge to the performer: once she or he has heard Ravel’s orchestration of a work, this must of course influence one’s perception of the original. (This is equally true for the listener, of course.) Jean-Efflam Bavouzet notes: ‘I subscribe completely to Ravel’s idea that a composer does not have to be profound in order to write good music. And furthermore, owing no doubt to his modest character, Ravel rarely addresses us in the first person. He does not confide in us intimately except on the rarest occasions. At these exceptional moments, our admiration for this musical giant, for his intelligence and elegant style of writing, for his perfect proportions, give way to a wave of emotion that is difficult to contain.’ Available at www.isotopemusic.com Chandos Records

08/04/2025

After their explorations of Italian repertoire in Che fai tù? (MU-037) and French in Vous avez dit brunettes? (Alpha 761), Les Kapsbergirls, a vocal and instrumental ensemble founded by lutenist Albane Imbs in 2015, devotes its third album to Baroque women composers: hidden talents, unrevealed destinies. Few of these composers have had the opportunity to reveal their art, which is nevertheless very real. Recent research has made it possible to revive the fascinating works of composers such as Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677), Isabella Leonarda (1620-1704), Lucia Quinciani (1566-1611), Francesca Caccini (1587-1641), Antonia Bembo (c.1643-1715), and Francesca Campana (c.1615-c.1665), who spent sixty-nine years of her life in an Ursuline convent in Novara, although this did not prevent her from composing no fewer than two hundred works! Available at www.isotopemusic.com Outhere Music Alpha Classics

07/04/2025

To mark the 150th anniversary of Bizet's death and the premiere of his immensely popular Carmen, Alpha Classics and Le Palazzetto Bru Zane now pay tribute to Célestine Galli-Marié, the singer who created the title role. A remarkable actress and singer, she created sixteen roles in fifteen years at the Opéra-Comique, including Ambroise Thomas’ iconic Mignon and Jacques Offenbach’s Fantasio. Eva Zaïcik-Mezzo Soprano is delighted to take on the roles created by such a colourful artist: "Célestine embodied a certain idea of artistic and feminine rebellion. Her voice, charisma, and unique theatrical approach brought to life characters who were free, complex, and often struggled with the norms of their time." Supported superbly by Pierre Dumoussaud and the Orchestre National de Lille, the French mezzo not only brilliantly embodies characters created by Bizet, Massenet, Offenbach, and Thomas, but also breathes new life into arias by Paladilhe, Poise, Deffès, Massé, Guiraud, Cohen, and Grisar. Available now on www.isotopemusic.com Outhere Music Alpha Classics

05/04/2025

Carolyn Sampson and Joseph Middleton present a new recital devoted to Schubert’s songs on the theme of the changing seasons. While there have also been other successful celebrations of the four seasons in music, Franz Schubert, a lover of nature, here evokes them in his lieder. Winter, imbued with nostalgia, is represented here by three songs in which the Schubertian hero sings of lost love. But gloomy thoughts soon give way to spring, synonymous with optimism and hope as nature returns to life: ‘Welcome, with your happy swarm of newly awakened creatures around me.’ If life is in full swing during the summer, the hero now seems uncertain about the happy outcome of his quest for love. In autumn, evoked here by six songs, the hero can only acknowledge his failure, reflected by nature preparing for a months-long sleep: ‘Ah, as the stars disappear in the sky, so does life’s hope fade away.’ Clarinettist Michael Collins joins the duo for one song, ‘Der Hirt auf dem Felsen’, Schubert’s penultimate composition. Inspired by yodelling, this extended lied ends with the hope of a better life, with spring just around the corner and the prophetic words of ‘now I shall prepare/to go a-wandering’ heralding the composer’s approaching death." Available now on www.isotopemusic.com. BIS Records

04/04/2025

Italian composer Goffredo Petrassi’s reputation was established in 1932 when his Partita (8.572411) won critical acclaim. Three years later he premiered the first of his eight Concertos for Orchestra which secured his reputation outside of Italy. Raymond Bisha delves into a new release of the first three of those concertos performed by the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma and conducted by Francesco La Vecchia.

Listen to the podcast here: https://bit.ly/4cfeJ3Q

Raymond Bisha delves into a new release of the Goffredo Petrassi's concertos performed by the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma and conducted by Francesco La Vecchia

03/04/2025

On Milestones, violinist Philippe Quint offers a deeply personal exploration featuring works by trailblazing women composers who have shaped his personal and artistic journey. This recording includes concertos written especially for Quint by Errollyn Wallen and Lera Auerbach, as well as a new work by Lora Kvint – Quint’s mother, marking their first collaboration. With each composer bringing a unique perspective and distinct voice to the album, Milestones focuses on life's pivotal moments, such as Wallen's second movement of the concerto inspired by a Yiddish lullaby sung to young Philippe by his grandfather and Auerbach's multilayered violin concerto reflecting the distortion of memory by future experience. Multiple Grammy Award nominee Philippe Quint is recognized as one of America’s leading violinists. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, with a distinguished history spanning over 125 years, ranks among Europe’s finest ensembles. Andrew Litton, one of the most celebrated American conductors and a renowned pianist, joins this remarkable collaboration. This release marks the PENTATONE debut for all artists. Available at www.isotopemusic.ca PENTATONE

03/04/2025

Many people have been waiting for Behzod Abduraimov's performance of Prokofiev's Second Piano Concerto — that powerful work which caused a scandal when it was first performed near St. Petersburg in 1913 because it was considered too futuristic. The work that we hear today is a version that Prokofiev himself reconstructed and reworked in 1923, as his first version was burnt on his departure from Russia. Abduraimov gives a dazzling performance of the work with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and its conductor Vasily Petrenko. The Prokofiev stands in stark contrast to Alexey Shor's Piano Concerto No. 1, which was composed and first performed in 2023. Abduraimov embraces the juxtaposition of the two works: "The depth and complexity of Prokofiev's universe is set against Shor's more lyrical and accessible art: each work reflects different facets of the human experience, and I think it's good to share this diversity of feelings, textures, and moods." Available now on www.isotopemusic.com Outhere Music

02/04/2025

To mark the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel's birth, immerse yourself in the composer's fascinating world with an extraordinary selection of 150 must-have albums. From the iconic Boléro to Daphnis et Chloé, and from Gaspard de la nuit to L'Enfant et les Sortilèges, this selection showcases the brilliance and modernity of his music. Rediscover the greatest interpretations brought to life by the best orchestras and soloists, from historic recordings by Samson François, Martha Argerich, and Claudio Abbado, to the most recent interpretations by Alexandre Tharaud, Yuja Wang, and Seong-Jin Cho. It's a remarkable tribute to one of the greatest masters of 20th-century French music! Only on Qobuz. More info here: https://bit.ly/3DYq0ZA

02/04/2025

Ronaldo Miranda is a multi-award-winning Brazilian composer with works commissioned by leading artists and institutions. His music is regularly performed in prestigious venues in Brazil and around the world. Miranda’s Piano Concerto is an exciting virtuoso blend of atonality alongside hints of Bartók, contrasting with the flowing scales and delicate patterns found in the Concertino. The prize-winning Horizontes is a symphonic poem that tells the story of Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the New World, while Variações Temporais (Beethoven Revisitado) is an inventive set of variations on some of Beethoven’s most famous motifs and themes. Avialable at www.isotopemusic.com

01/04/2025

The Gramophone Award-winning Silesian Quartet / Kwartet Śląski present a double album of the complete works for string quartet by compatriot Henryk Górecki. All three of his numbered string quartets were written late in life – the first in 1988 – and all three were commissioned by the Kronos Quartet. The First Quartet is a single-movement work, based on a sixteenth-century song by Wacław of Szamotuły. The Second, double the length of the First, is subtitled ‘quasi una fantasia’ and follows a classical four-movement form, subtly referencing Beethoven. Górecki completed the Third Quartet (double the length of the Second!) after the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs had catapulted his music to much wider acclaim. It extends to five movements and is considered by many to be one of his greatest compositions. In the 1980s and 1990s, Górecki composed several collections of choral songs. Five Kurpian Songs is based on folksongs from Kurpie, a region north-west of Warsaw. The composer himself suggested that these works would be effective when performed by a string quartet, and here the Silesian Quartet gives us the world première recording of that version. Available now at www.isotopemusic.com

31/03/2025

Franz Joseph Haydn has long been a focus of admiration for conductor Sir Simon Rattle. In this podcast conversation with Raymond Bisha, we hear excerpts from his recent recording of the composer’s oratorio The Creation, “the last masterpiece that this amazing man wrote.” A clear candidate for one of the maestro’s Desert Island Discs, Sir Simon reflects how the work provides “every type of music and every emotion that might be needed, as well as the company of somebody who would still make you glad to be alive.”

Listen to the podcast here: https://blog.naxos.com/2025/03/28/podcast-sir-simon-rattle-lauds-haydns-oratorio-the-creation/

Catalogue No.: 900221

In this podcast conversation with Raymond Bisha, we hear excerpts from Simon Rattle's recent recording of Haydn's oratorio The Creation

31/03/2025

Congratulations to collectif 9 for the Juno award on the category CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE)! Album available now at Archambault here: https://bit.ly/3E1wGWT Outhere Music Analekta

31/03/2025

Congratulations to Inuk soprano Deantha Edmunds, as the first Indigenous woman composer to win the Juno for classical composition of the year for her song cylce this song cycle “Angmalikisaa”. Music Album available at www.isotope.com

28/03/2025

Raymond Bisha introduces the latest instalment of a collectable series of seven albums showcasing Ukraine-born composer Alexey Shor’s appealing personal style and superb craftsmanship. The programme features vivid portraits of literary figures for piano (Behzod Abduraimov) and orchestra (Kyiv Virtuosi), similarly an homage to Glinka, and a dazzling concerto for flute (Jasmine Choi). The conductors are Dmitry Yablonsky and Massimiliano Caldi. Commenting on a previous album of Shor’s music (8.579061), MusicWeb International noted how Shor’s popularity “is easy to understand. His idiom is highly melodic, lively, varied, deftly orchestrated – and could have been written at almost any time in the last century. His gift seems to be for the miniature, and he invests his pieces with great variety.”

Listen to the podcast here: https://blog.naxos.com/2025/03/28/podcast-alexey-shor-a-suite-a-nocturne-and-a-concerto/
Catalogue No.: 8.579140

Raymond Bisha introduces the latest instalment of a collectable series of seven albums showcasing Ukraine-born composer Alexey Shor