The Naxos Blog

Our first podcast featuring a release on CSO-Resound, the record label of the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra. All CDs on this label come from live performances by the Chicago Symphony, and feature the orchestra with some of the world's finest conductors, including Bernard Haitink, conductor of this performance. Album details... Catalogue No.: CSO-Resound 901916

American composer Avner Dorman, a protégé of John Corigliano and Zubin Mehta, is emerging as one of the leading composers of his generation. The diverse concertos presented here combine the excitement and spontaneity associated with jazz, baroque, rock and ethnic music. Dorman writes in the liner notes: ‘I have always loved baroque music…the clear rhythms, the strong reliance on the bass, and the extreme contrasts.’ This podcast and CD feature the Metropolis Ensemble and soloists Avi Avital, Mindy Kaufman, Avni Eliran, Lily Francis, Aya Hamada, Michal Korman, Eric Nowlin and Arnaud Sussmann, all conducted by Andrew Cyr. Album details... Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.559620

Join Raymond in a special Christmas podcast as he features three of his favourite Christmas CDs - two new CDs, plus an old favourite. The new CDs featured are A Stephen Chatman Christmas, and Marc Hervieux's "Le Premiere Noel" while the old favourite is The Mystery of Christmas with the Elora Festival Singers. Album details... Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.554179  

Composer Hannibal Lokumbe wrote his piece Dear Mrs. Parks as a series of imaginary letters to civil rights activist Rosa Parks - all set for orchestra, chorus and soloists. In this podcast interview, he talks about the piece, and his hopes for the message it carries to the world. The music in this podcast comes from the world premiere recording of Dear Mrs. Parks, taken from live performances in March 2009 featuring the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Rackham Symphony Choir, the Brazeal Dennard Chorale, plus soloists Janice Chandler-Eteme, Jevetta Steele, Kevin Deas and Taylor Gardner, all conducted by Thomas Wilkins. Album details... Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.559668

In 1835 WIlliam Walker published his songbook Southern Harmony. The title page describes it as a collection of "tunes, hymns, psalms, odes and anthems". It sold an astonishing 600,000 copies before the US Civil War, and became the inspiration for Donald Grantham's band piece of the same name. Also included on this Naxos Wind Band Classics CD with The Ohio State University Wind Symphony, is music by Aaron Copland, Dmitry Kabalevsky, John Stevens and Morten Lauridsen. Conducted by Professor Russel Mikkelson and Richard Blatti. Album details... Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.572342

Listening to this CD of lush English Christmas carols, it's hard to believe that in the mid-1600's, Christmas Day had been outlawed by an act of Parliament, and Christmas carols were forbidden. This was during the time of Oliver Cromwell, when anything that remotely suggested enjoyment was frowned upon. It wasn't until Victorian times that Christmas carols regained some popularity, and by the 20th century, England was producing some of the finest. This podcast, and this CD look at the English carol tradition, and music written by composers such as Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, John Rutter and John Gardner. Performers on this outstanding CD include City of London Choir, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and conductor Hilary Davan Wetton. Album details... Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.572102

In 1742, Johann Stamitz got the job offer he wanted - he was invited to become a member of the Mannheim Court Orchestra. A couple of years later, he became Concertmaster, and then Director of Instrumental Music. That meant he had to compose as well as play. Because his patron loved the flute, and he had a really good player in his orchestra, he wrote a number of flute concertos. Four of them are presented on this disc and podcast, with Canadian flutist Robert Aitken, and the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra conducted by Donatas Katkus. Album details... Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.570150

Canadian contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux burst onto the international scene with her performances of Vivaldi operas. This CD is the perfect introduction to those operas, and her glorious voice. Accompanied by Ensemble Matheus conducted by Jean-Christophe Spinosi, Marie-Nicole presents some of her favourite arias from Orlando Furioso, Griselda and La fida ninta.   Album details... Catalogue No.: Naive V5212

"The charismatic St. Petersburg-born Vasily Petrenko has really been turning things around at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra since he took over as Principal Conductor in 2005. With both standards and audiences on the up he has embarked upon his first major recording project – to record all 15 Shostakovich Symphonies for the Naxos label. Two releases (8.572082, 8.572167) are now available and in this exclusive podcast he talks to Edward Seckerson about the project in general and the symphonies in particular. The 11th “The Year 1905” makes extensive use of revolutionary songs and graphically portrays the bloody massacre of over 200 peaceful demonstrators outside the Winter Palace on the 9th January that year. This now notorious passage which pitches a wall of percussion (five players) against shrill demented unisons is one of the most powerful depictions of unprovoked violence in 20th century music. The other release couples Shostakovich’s most performed symphony, the 5th, a work of profound ambivalences written when the composer was under intense scrutiny from the Soviet authorities, and the 9th, a deceptively jaunty neo-classical piece which both confused and infuriated those who had been led to expect an epic in memory of Lenin. Shostakovich did so love to confound expectations." The Independent 23/11/2009

Sir Edward Elgar wrote his Crown of India for a 1912 musical event in London celebrating the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary as Emperor and Empress of India. Although such an event is an historical anachronism today, the music Sir Edward was not. The orchestral suite from this work is one of his most performed pieces. This podcast looks at a new recording of both versions - the full version with narration, and the orchestral suite - with the BBC Philharmonic, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, and singers Clare Shearer and Gerald Finley, all conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. Album details... Catalogue No.: Chandos CHAN 10570

A spotlight look at the new Columbus State University Wind Ensemble's new CD - a CD that brings together an outstanding band, conductor Robert Rumbelow, and three great soloists: Clarinettists John Yeh and Teresa Reilly, and percussionist Molly Yeh. This podcast features musical excerpts by Michael Daugherty, Michael Burritt, David Gillingham, Jim David and Scott McAllister, plus extended interviews with both John Yeh and Robert Rumbelow.   Album details... Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.572319

A podcast feature about Late Victorians, a new Naxos CD featuring the world premiere recordings of four works by American composer Mark Adamo, who is also the interview guest in this podcast. This CD features Alcott Music, a suite from his opera Little Women, Regina Coeli, Overture to Lysistrata, and Late Victorians. This final piece uses words by Richard Rodriguez and Emily Dickenson, and is dedicated to those who have died of, and those who have survived AIDS. Performers on this CD include Emily Pulley, Andrew Sullivan, Dotian Levalier, the Eclipse Chamber Orchestra and conductor Sylvia Alimena. Album details... Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.559258

When he graduated from high school, William Schuman enrolled in New York University with every intention of doing a commerce degree. Then his sister took him to a New York Philharmonic concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini. That very night, he decided to become a composer. Schuman went on to become one of the most important American composers and composition teachers of the 20th century. He was president of Julliard School, President of Lincoln Centre in New York, and the composer of eight major symphonies. This podcast looks at a new recording of his Symphony No. 6, Prayer in a Time of War, and New England Tryptich, with the Seattle Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz. Album details... Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.559625

Czech-born composer Bohuslav Martinu was born in a church tower in Policka, Bohemia in 1890. He became a student in the Prague Conservatory, and played with the Czech Philharmonic before moving to Paris to study composition. When World War Two broke out, he fled Europe and moved to the United States where he taught at the Mannes School of Music in New York. All the while, he composed incessantly - including the two piano concertos on this disc. Performers include pianist Robert Kolinsky, conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Sinfonieorchester Basel. Album details... Catalogue No.: Ondine ODE 1158-2

Between 1902 and 1904, French film director Georges Melies made Le Voyage Dans La Lune, the world's first science fiction film. In this CD + DVD project, composer/conductor Robert Ian Winstin has asked four different composers including himself, "Professor Louie Hurwitz, James Guymon and Don Myers to each write their own original soundtracks for this film. The result is four soundtracks that couldn't be more different - and more effective. Album details... Catalogue No.: ERM Media Film ERM-5997