Naxos Music Group

NEWS FROM THE NAXOS MUSIC GROUP

September 2021

Label of the Month: Ondine

Ondine was founded by Reijo Kiilunen in 1985 in Helsinki, Finland, where the company is still based today. The label’s extensive catalogue includes over 600 high quality recordings, many of which have received distinguished awards. From the works of its native Sibelius, and encompassing the country’s thriving classical music scene, Ondine continues to release the best of what Finnish artists produce, highlighted by fruitful associations with composers such as Einojuhani Rautavaara, Magnus Lindberg and Kaija Saariaho.

As the reputation of the label flourished, it enjoyed a shift to an increasingly international set of major artists and orchestras appearing on the roster. In addition to impeccable artistic performances, Ondine has always paid equal attention to technical quality and high recording standards.

Having celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2020, Ondine continues to demonstrate great prowess in the creation, performance and preservation of recorded music.


NEW RELEASES
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Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks (b. 1946) is one of the most prominent names among living composers today. This album by the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Poga includes the first recording of Vasks’ atmospheric and pastoral Oboe Concerto written for the centenary celebrations of Latvia’s independence in 2018 and performed by one of today’s leading oboists, Albrecht Mayer. The new concerto is coupled with two early orchestral works from the 1980s, Vēstījums and Lauda – both musical manifestations from the final years of the Soviet Union when occupied Latvia started its peaceful fight to regain the country’s independence.

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This album by the Jyväskylä Sinfonia conducted by Ville Matvejeff presents three works by Éric Tanguy (b. 1968), one of the leading composers in contemporary French music with two outstanding soloists, clarinetist Pierre Génisson and violinist Júlia Pusker.

Tanguy’s Clarinet Concerto was written for French clarinetist Pierre Génisson to accompany Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. However, this lyrical work in three movements does seek to establish an analogy with Mozart’s concerto. Tanguy’s Second Violin Concerto, revised in 2003, is built on a very classical form, is set in three movements and includes the archetypes of a traditional concerto, including a big cadenza, and the fast–slow–fast construction with the purpose of finding a balance with modern times. The concerto is performed by Júlia Pusker, prize-winner from the 2019 Queen Elizabeth Violin Competition in Brussels. Matka (‘journey’ in Finnish), a symphonic piece written by Tanguy to mark the 150th anniversary of Sibelius' birth, was commissioned by the Jyväskylä Sinfonia. The work is a spiritual tribute to Sibelius, a composer that has inspired Tanguy for many decades.

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The first volume of the premiere recordings of Jurgis Karnavičius’ (1884–1941) string quartets performed by the Vilnius String Quartet resulted in a growing number of excellent album reviews. This second volume includes the composer’s last two quartets. Karnavičius wrote his four impressive string quartets during his study and teaching years in St. Petersburg during the 1910s and 1920s, filling the chronological and stylistic gap between the string quartets of Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich. Although the composer's output is admired in Lithuania, his magnificent chamber music has been performed only rarely since his death. For example, the composer’s String Quartet No. 4 had to wait until the 1980s  for a repeat performance and still remains unpublished.

COMING SOON
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The award-winning duo of Christian Tetzlaff and Lars Vogt returns to the masterworks of European chamber music with this new album that includes Ludwig van Beethoven’s (1770–1827) three Violin Sonatas, Op. 30. The award-winning duo of Christian Tetzlaff and Lars Vogt returns to the masterworks of European chamber music with this new album that includes Ludwig van Beethoven’s (1770–1827) three Violin Sonatas, Op. 30.

www.ondine.net

Artist of the Month – Robert Trevino, conductor

Robert Trevino
© Håkan Röjder

Robert Trevino has rapidly emerged as one of today’s most exciting American conductors, as well as one of the most in-demand talents of the younger generation. He serves as the music director of the Basque National Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI and artistic advisor of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra.

Most recently, he signed a multi-year recording contract with Ondine, that has already resulted in a widely-praised complete Beethoven symphonies cycle with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and a Ravel album with the Basque National Orchestra that was released in April 2021. Trevino’s cycle of Bruch’s symphonies with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, released by CPO in August 2020, received universally positive reviews.

Having won the James Conlon Conducting Prize at the Aspen Music Festival & School, and subsequently serving as associate conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and New York City Opera, Trevino burst into the international spotlight at the Bolshoi Theater in December 2013, leading a new production of Verdi’s Don Carlo at short notice. The Russian press wrote, “There has not been an American success of this magnitude in Moscow since Van Cliburn.” He was subsequently nominated for a Golden Mask award for “Best Conductor in a New Production”.

In recent seasons Trevino’s European engagements have included appearances with the London Symphony Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Tonhalle Zurich, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Vienna Symphony, Helsinki Philharmonic and Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin. He has conducted the Cleveland Orchestra, the symphony orchestras of San Francisco, Toronto and Detroit and led Washington National Opera’s new production of Evgeny Onegin. In the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons Robert led the Basque National Orchestra, the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra on European tours and made debut conducting appearances with the Orchestre de Paris and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His re-engagements included the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, São Paulo Symphony, Vienna Symphony, Bamberg Symphony, SWR Symphony, and RAI National Symphony Orchestra.

NEW
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All four American composers on this new album by the Basque National Orchestra and conductor Robert Trevino wrote music that was known, played and esteemed during their lifetimes, but none of them ever had a huge “hit” and so the pieces here are likely familiar only to musical scholars. Yet while it is uncommon enough to find Charles Martin Loeffler, Henry Cowell, Carl Ruggles and Howard Hanson sharing the same album, the conductor Robert Trevino has taken his exploration still further, into the recesses of their repertory – complete with a Hanson piece, Before the Dawn, that has had to wait a century for this, its premiere recording.


RECORDINGS FEATURING ROBERT TREVINO
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‘These performances of some of the most fantastic orchestral scores of the 20th Century shed light on the Basque influences in Ravel’s music.’
WFMT
★★★★★
★★★★
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‘Trevino reveals himself as a lean, lithe, fresh-sounding Beethovenian.’
Limelight
★★★★

www.robert-trevino.com

Three Gramophone Awards nominations for Naxos Music Group

Gramophone recently announced the list of nominees for its 2021 Classical Music Awards. Naxos and its affiliated labels Ondine and Orfeo received three nominations which were among 72 shortlisted recordings from 12 categories.

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The world premiere recording of Christopher Rouse’s Fifth Symphony (8.559852) received a nomination in the Contemporary category.

‘An orchestra with a notable past (and hopefully future), the Nashville Symphony rises admirably to these pieces’ not inconsiderable challenges. Sound has no lack of clarity or definition… All in all, an impressive release.’
Gramophone

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The Choral category saw the nomination of Bruckner’s Latin Motets, performed by the Latvian Radio Choir under Sigvards Kļava.

‘Sigvards Kļava’s latest recording with the Latvian Radio Choir features not only first-rate performances of some of Bruckner’s better-known motets but also a number of his infrequently heard early works… The excellent recording, made in Riga Cathedral, suits the performances perfectly.’
Gramophone

The live recording of Vienna State Opera’s centenary production of Richard Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten, featuring a stellar cast including Camilla Nylund, Nina Stemme, Stephen Gould and Wolfgang Koch, received a nomination in the Opera category.

‘A second Straussian offering this month, this time from Christian Thielemann and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra on, as Hugo Shirley puts it, breathtaking form… This is essential listening for anyone interested in this remarkable work.’Gramophone

The Gramophone Classical Music Awards online ceremony will be available to watch on Gramophone’s website and YouTube channel, and on medici.tv, on October 5, from 7pm (BST).

Click here to RSVP to the event

Boris Giltburg plays Beethoven’s Complete Piano Sonatas

Boris Giltburg
© Sasha Gusov

‘Playing Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas is akin to embarking on a journey around the world. As one of classical music’s greatest treasure troves, they contain every possible challenge to any musician – artistic, technical or emotional.

As the project went on, I realised that the image I had of Beethoven – an angry, grumpy man with a stormy brow – was at best incomplete and superficial. After endless hours spent in his company, I became increasingly aware of the unstoppable energy coursing through his music. He faced so much personal hardship, and yet the core of his music remained forever light and full of life.

This was more than inspiring; it became a source of incredible moral support throughout 2020. And without noticing, the respect and admiration I’d always felt for Beethoven morphed into passionate love. After this pandemic, I can’t imagine my life without his music.’
Boris Giltburg

OUT NOW
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Boris Giltburg is lauded worldwide as a deeply sensitive, insightful and compelling interpreter, with critics praising his impassioned approach to performance. This project to record all of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas is a personal exploration for Giltburg, driven by curiosity and his profound respect for the composer. These exceptional performances received widespread critical acclaim upon their original digital release and this premiere CD release includes extended personal and informative booklet notes written by the pianist. From the vivid energy of the early sonatas, through the dark passions and enchanted lyricism of Beethoven’s middle period, to the awe-inspiring transcendence of the final sonatas – this cycle runs the full gamut of human emotion.

Learn more about Boris Giltburg’s Beethoven 32 project on www.Beethoven32.com.

Visit naxos.com to view Boris Giltburg’s complete discography.

Naxos and Grand Piano receive Russian Pure Sound Awards

The Naxos Music Group is delighted to be among the recipients of this year’s Russian Pure Sound Awards. The announcement was made on 3 September. Organised by the Russian Music Union, the Pure Sound awarding body is the first to acknowledge the best audio recordings of Russian music. Awards are made every two years in the eight categories: opera, choral works, orchestral music, vocal chamber music, ensemble chamber music, solo chamber music, restoration of archived recordings and a mixed category.

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Naxos received the second prize in the orchestral music category for its recording of Alexander Mosolov’s Fifth Symphony and Harp Concerto, performed by the Moscow Symphony Orchestra under Arthur Arnold. The work was described as “illuminating, demonstrating that the composer was more than a one-hit wonder” by Classical CD Choice.

Grand Piano won third prize in the solo category for the fourth volume of British pianist Nicholas Walker’s complete edition of Balakirev’s works for solo piano.” This recording was universally well received: “Walker’s artistry benefits from vivid, realistic, full-bodied, and well-balanced sound, with well-defined piano tone and ample color.” (Fanfare) The Complete Edition of Balakirev’s works for solo piano is being released this month. Nicholas Walker attended the ceremony via video conference and gave his acceptance speech in fluent Russian. Another Grand Piano artist, Olga Solovieva, also appeared as a presenter at the award ceremony.

sound-pure.com

A revival production of the sensational Atys by Jean-Baptiste Lully

Jean-Baptiste Lully’s Atys, a tragédie en musique, became known as the ‘king’s opera’ due to Louis XIV’s fondness for it. The work stands as a testament to the Sun King’s courtly refinement, as well as his moves to make France the centre of European artistic culture. The opera’s themes of romantic dilemmas and ultimate tragedy, set amidst the poetic atmosphere of Ovid’s classical mythology, create the perfect vehicle for a narrative filled with dramatic intensity combined with a myriad of moving and expressive arias and duets. William Christie conducts this acclaimed production – hailed by The New York Times as being ‘as satisfying as it is bold’.

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Also available on Blu-ray Video

‘Bernard Richter finds plenty of passion as Atys... Chorus, orchestra and conductor are first-class.’
Gramophone

Atys has made a welcome return to the Opéra Comique in a re-creation by the director Jean Marie-Villégier and the conductor William Christie of their 1987 production that captivated the operatic world.’
The New York Times

Atys Bernard Richter, tenor
Cybèle Stéphanie D’oustrac, mezzo-soprano
Sangaride Emmanuelle de Negri, soprano
Célénus Nicolas Rivenq, baritone
Dancers Compagnie Fêtes Galantes and Gil Isoart from the Opéra national de Paris
Les Arts Florissants
Conductor William Christie
Stage Director Jean-Marie Villégier

A revival of the production created in 1987 at the Opéra Comique thanks to the exceptional support of Ronald P. Stanton.

Film Director François Roussillon
Filmed on 19 and 21 May 2011 at the Opéra Comique, Paris, France

More full-length videos? NaxosVideoLibrary.com brings you an extensive streaming video library of classical music performances, opera, ballet, live concerts and documentaries. Watch the world’s greatest opera houses, ballet companies, orchestras and artists perform on demand! NaxosVideoLibrary.com offers over 3,485 full-length videos, accessible anytime, anywhere.

Soprano Júlia Várady celebrates her 80th birthday

Júlia Várady, one of the leading sopranos of the second half of the 20th century, celebrated her 80th birthday on 1 September 2021. To mark the occasion, the Orfeo label honoured her with the release of a new 10-CD boxed set, ‘The Orfeo Recordings’.

Born in 1941 in Oradea, Várady (real surname Tözser) was the child of a Hungarian father and a Transylvanian German mother. When she was six years old she began to have violin lessons at the Cluj Conservatory, four years later joining a youth orchestra. At fourteen, having discovered her voice, she began singing lessons: first with Emilia Popp at the Cluj Conservatory, then with Arta Florescu at the Bucharest Conservatory. Her operatic stage debut came in 1962 with the Cluj Opera. After singing small roles such as Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Varady graduated to the lyric-dramatic repertoire, singing Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Liù (Turandot), Santuzza (Cavalleria rusticana), Desdemona (Otello), Susanna, the Countess and Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Judith (Bluebeard’s Castle) and the title role in Madama Butterfly. During this period she also performed as a guest singer with the Bucharest and Budapest opera companies.

Throughout the later 1970s and the 1980s Várady developed a considerable international presence while maintaining her links to the German operatic scene. She appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in 1974 with Scottish Opera in the title role of Gluck’s Alceste and made her debut at the Salzburg Festival in 1976 as Electra, returning as Vitellia (1977) and later as Donna Elvira (1987–1988). She appeared at the Metropolitan Opera, New York in the spring of 1978 as Donna Elvira. At the Deutsche Oper in Berlin she sang the roles of the Countess (Figaro, 1978), Aida (1982), Desdemona (1991) and Elisabeth (Tannhäuser, 1991 and 1992), as well as Sieglinde in the company’s touring production of Die Walküre in Japan in 1987, followed by Senta there in 1992. She first appeared at the Royal Opera House, London as Desdemona in 1987 and returned as Senta, one of her finest roles, in 1992. She sang Electra at La Scala, Milan, in 1984, Abigaille (Nabucco) at the Paris Opera in 1995, and Leonore (Il trovatore) at the Vienna State Opera in 1996. Throughout this period she also sang as a guest performer with the major German opera companies.

Although Várady was especially noted as an outstanding interpreter of the Verdi soprano roles, her overall repertoire was extremely large. This biography gives only a limited idea of her range, which extended from Micaëla / Carmen though Yaroslavna / Prince Igor to the Empress / Die Frau ohnen Schatten. She was also a notable exponent of the music of the German composer Aribert Reimann, creating the role of Cordelia to her husband’s Lear in Reimann’s King Lear (Munich, 1978) and participating in the first performance of Reimann’s Requiem in 1982. To all her parts she brought an unusually high degree of emotional intensity while at the same time preserving essential musical values.

Having retired from the operatic stage in 1996, Várady continued to sing in concert and taught at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin.

Complete Versions Edition of Bruckner’s Symphonies presented by Markus Poschner

This release marks the start of a significant Capriccio project to record the complete edition of the Bruckner symphonies, including all the alternative versions that are included in the new, comprehensive and authoritative Anton Bruckner Gesamtausgabe. The complete programme will be captured on some 18 hours of recording time, and the musical director throughout the project will be Markus Poschner, making this the first time that one conductor has been on the podium for all nineteen versions of the symphonies. Two of Austria‘s finest orchestras have been engaged for this cycle: the Bruckner Orchestra Linz and the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. The project is due for completion in 2024, the year that marks the 200th anniversary of Bruckner‘s birth.


RECOMMENDED RECORDINGS
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‘It’s a fabulous, fabulous performance.’
ClassicsToday.com
SWR19014CD
‘Michael Gielen’s Bruckner symphonies are purified, svelte and transparent.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★
NEW
OC476
‘Memorable performances, high-tech sonics and informative annotations complete this superb and innovative first instalment that sets my imagination alight.’
Classical Music Daily
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‘Compelling, crystalline performances despite some missed repertoire opportunities.’
Limelight
★★★★
★★★★★

Playlists for September

Looking for new music? Our selection of curated playlists has you covered with music to complement the season, moment, or activity! Power up your study sessions with Baroque Study Hall, explore the melodies and rhythms of the nation that brought us the samba in Classical Brazil, take a moment to transcend with Radiant Choral, and push musical boundaries in Contemporary Piano. Happy listening!


Don’t forget to follow Naxos on these streaming sites

Transglobal World Music Chart – Best of 2020–21 Season

Transglobal World Music Chart (TWMC) has unveiled the list of Best Albums of the 2020-21 season. The results are based on the panelists’ total votes in the period between September 2020 and August 2021. Six albums on Naxos World and ARC Music are in the Best 100 albums, and ARC Music is one of the Best 10 Labels of the year.

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‘The recording itself, almost clinically precise, suits this approach very well, bringing out every nuance of the delicate ornamentation and phrasing, especially in Deniz Mahir Kartal’s exquisite kaval work.’
Songlines
EUCD2942
‘Nayan Navaa is the fantastic new album from Namgar, a band that plays modern sounds rooted in traditional music from Buryatia (Russian Federation) in southern Siberia.’
World Music Central
EUCD2958
‘There are some excellent instrumental solos and the last recordings from Esma Redžepova are indeed wonderful.’
Songlines
EUCD2936
‘This music is seriously fun.’
A Green Man Review
EUCD2927
‘In [Petrosyan’s] his hands the duduk, akin to the oboe but with a deeper and richer tone, shows itself as capable of performing compositions by revered court musicians, instrumental versions of modern troubadours, and dance tunes.’
Songlines
EUCD2930
‘Hugues’ production brings a pleasing unity to proceedings but with more than enough range to hold your attention throughout.’
Roots World

www.transglobalwmc.com

Naxos recordings featured in Vogue’s Met Gala videos

The Met Gala 2021 is fashion’s biggest night and the event kicked off on September 13 at its usual location: the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Naxos recordings were featured in Vogue’s Met Gala videos featuring Kim Kardashian, Grimes, K-pop star Blackpink and Olympic diver Tom Daley.

Need to license some music for a project and don’t know where to start? Visit Naxos Licensing to find out how!

Ondine
Label of the Month
Check the email message for your free download link
Artist of the Month
Robert Trevino
Robert Trevino
Three Gramophone Awards nominations for Naxos Music Group
Boris Giltburg
Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas
The Complete Edition
Out Now
A revival production of the sensational Atys by Jean-Baptiste Lully
Naxos MusicBox
Naxos and Grand Piano receive
Russian Pure Sound Awards
Soprano Júlia Várady celebrates her 80th birthday
Blog: Gershwin whingers.
© HNH International Ltd
Complete Versions Edition of Bruckner’s Symphonies presented by Markus Poschner
Playlists for September
Transglobal World Music Chart – Best of 2020–21 Season
Naxos recordings featured
in Vogue’s Met Gala videos
Specials from ArkivMusic
Label of the Month
Check the email message for your free download link
Ondine
Artist of the Month
Robert Trevino, conductor
Three Gramophone Awards nominations for Naxos Music Group
Boris Giltburg
Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas
The Complete Edition
Out Now
Naxos and Grand Piano receive Russian Pure Sound Awards
Complete Versions Edition of Bruckner’s Symphonies presented by Markus Poschner
A revival production of the sensational Atys by Jean⁠-⁠Baptiste Lully
Soprano Júlia Várady celebrates her 80th birthday
Transglobal World Music Chart – Best of 2020–21 Season
Naxos recordings featured in Vogue’s Met Gala videos
Blog: Gershwin whingers.
Playlists for September
Specials from ArkivMusic