Naxos Music Group

NEWS FROM THE NAXOS MUSIC GROUP

November/December 2022

Label of the Month – Naxos

Naxos was founded in 1987 and has developed from being known primarily as a budget label focusing on standard repertoire into a virtual encyclopaedia of classical music with a catalogue of unparalleled depth and breadth. Innovative strategies for recording exciting new repertoire with exceptional talent have enabled the Naxos label to develop one of the largest and fastest-growing catalogues of unduplicated repertoire. Over 10,000 titles are currently available at affordable prices, recorded in state-of-the-art sound, both in hard format and on digital platforms. Naxos works with artists of the highest calibre and its recordings have been recognised with numerous international honours, including GRAMMY, International Classical Music Awards (ICMA), Opus Klassik and Gramophone Editor’s Choice Awards.


NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
NOV 2022
8.574406

Claudio Santoro’s prolific output includes a cycle of 14 symphonies that is widely recognised as the most significant of its kind from Brazil. All of the works in this programme come from Santoro’s remarkable final decade, in which he allied more traditional and eclectic styles to his earlier experiments. Both the Concerto Grosso and the Three Fragments on BACH were written for student orchestras, but are nonetheless substantial pieces which show his command of writing for strings. The Eleventh Symphony is one of the densest and most dramatic of the cycle, its finale exploding into an evocation of the opening of Brahms’ First Symphony, while the Twelfth Symphony is an unusual ‘sinfonia concertante’ for nine soloists and orchestra.

NOV 2022
8.559920

The rediscovery of Florence Price’s music has revealed one of the most significant bodies of work by an African American composer in the 20th century. The variety of genres represented on this release place Price’s immense artistic imagination on full display. The two Concert Overtures explore her engagement with spirituals, both episodically and coloristically, in music that embraces the somber, the poignant and the ebullient. Songs of the Oak is a tour de force of Hollywood-influenced storytelling while The Oak offers a more anxious, ultimately tragic portrait. Price’s best-known work is the Suite of Dances – originally for piano it is heard here in the composer’s full, sumptuous orchestration.

NOV 2022
8.574417

This second album of Mozart’s complete Masses (Volume 1 is on 8.574270) pairs one work of exceptional dimensions and ambition with a miniature example. The ‘Great’ Mass in C minor is one of Mozart’s most spectacular and cast on such a scale that it embraces every human and spiritual emotion, reconciling the Salzburg tradition with that of Italian opera. The Mass was left incomplete by Mozart – it is heard here in a performing version made by the German musicologist and Mozart specialist Franz Beyer. By comparison the Missa brevis in C major exudes a spirit of festive concision.

DEC 2022
8.574449

Heinrich Marschner, the leading German composer of Romantic opera between Weber and Wagner, was a progressive innovator, bringing to his music a new dimension – the supernatural anti-hero enmeshed in horror, such as the protagonist of Der Vampyr (1828). Before his psychological operas, however, Marschner composed a series of overtures and stage works exploring more conventional material. These have long been overlooked. In this first volume Schön Ella represents Marschner’s mastery of form, skilful orchestration and melodic gifts, while the excerpts from Ali Baba reveal his flair for theatrical concision and mood setting.

DEC 2022
8.574456

This setting of Austrian Expressionist writer Georg Trakl’s poems by composer and conductor Fabrice Bollon is the first ever composition for classical singers and solo electric cello. As a result the work’s striking sonorities open unexpected and fascinating new directions for contemporary music. Evocative imagery and colourful writing for electric cello can also be heard in The Secret Garden of the Cordania – a work dedicated to Bollon’s cellist wife.

8.507015
[7-Disc Boxed Set]
8.574372
8.574463
8.574475
8.578370-72 [3 Discs]
8.574371
8.572686
8.574345
2.107001
[7-DVD Boxed Set]
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110738 [DVD]
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110747 [DVD]
Also available in Blu-ray Video

In celebration of the 35th anniversary of Naxos, TIDAL, the global music streaming platform, is featuring five artist-curated playlists by Marin Alsop, JoAnn Falletta, Boris Giltburg, Gabriel Schwabe and Leonard Slatkin. Click here to read more about the label’s legacy.

www.naxos.com

Artist of the Month – Jun Märkl, conductor

Jun Märkl
© Christiane Höhne

Jun Märkl is a highly respected interpreter of core Germanic repertoire, and is known for his refined and idiomatic explorations of the French Impressionists. He was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2012 by the French government. Märkl serves as music director of the Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra, and principal guest conductor of the Residentie Orkest The Hague as well as the Oregon Symphony. Among the over 50 albums in his discography are the complete Schumann symphonies with the NHK Symphony Orchestra and Mendelssohn and Wagner with the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra. He also recorded works by Ravel, Messiaen, and a highly acclaimed Debussy series with the Orchestre National de Lyon for Naxos. He is currently working on a cycle of works by Saint-Saëns, R. Strauss and Toshio Hosokawa.


JUN MÄRKL’S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED RECORDINGS
NEW
8.574463

This album presents a selection of Saint-Saëns’ incidental music and music from his operas. From Samson et Dalila – the only one of Saint-Saëns’ operas to remain in the repertory – we hear two memorable and adrenalin-fuelled dances including the famous Bacchanale. Henry VIII drew from the composer music of regal solemnity with plenty of colourful scoring, praised by Gounod. The lukewarm reception to Étienne Marcel came as a bitter disappointment to Saint-Saëns but the customary ballet includes a strong element of delightful 14th-century pastiche. The incidental music to the play Parysatis received tumultuous acclaim at its premiere in 1902 and includes the delightful Airs de ballet flecked by the use of crotales (antique finger-cymbals).

8.574107

‘[Tianwa Yang] has brilliant back up from the Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra from Vienna who play excellently under conductor Jun Märkl.’

Politiken ★★★★★

8.574217

‘The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra under Jun Märkl deliver them with the gravity, levity, intensity, serenity and energy they variously invite, in a clear and concert-like recorded perspective.’

BBC Music Magazine ★★★★

8.573413

‘Jun Märkl and the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra play the Allegro movements with great power and energy, giving the music an appropriate feeling of confidence and bombast.’

AllMusic.com ★★★★

8.572714

‘Jun Märkl and the Lyon orchestra turn in fine performances of both pieces … In sum, a smartly planned and well executed disc, and a very nice addition to your Messiaen collection.’

ClassicsToday.com

For the full list of Jun Märkl’s discography on Naxos, visit naxos.com.

www.junmarkl.com

The 2023 GRAMMY and ICMA nominees

Recordings from Naxos and its affiliated labels were among the recently announced nominations for the 2023 GRAMMY Awards and International Classical Music Awards (ICMA).

Naxos is delighted to have received a nomination in this year’s GRAMMY Awards for Best Contemporary Classical Composition, for the album of Derek Bermel's music for clarinet and strings featuring the JACK Quartet.

8.559912

‘This showcase of music for different forms and instrument combinations is united by Bermel’s musical curiosity and creative showmanship. Elements of folk and blues permeate traditional classical forms in masterful ways, resulting in a joyous listen. Characterful.’

BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★

Intonations is an arresting portrait, not only for its kaleidoscopic range but for the sheer breadth of Bermel’s imagination and interests. That no other recording sounds quite like it is one of the better compliments one could pay to its creator.’

Textura

Producer Christoph Franke received a nomination for Producer of The Year (Classical) for two recordings on the Ondine label:

Christoph Franke
Christoph Franke
ODE1410-2
ODE1400-2

The 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards winners will be announced on 5 February 2023.


The Naxos Music Group received a record number of ICMA nominations across 13 categories. Naxos received 18 nominations, while others went to BelAir Classiques [2], Capriccio [8], Dynamic [1], OehmsClassics [1], Ondine [6], Opus Arte [4], Orfeo [3] and SWR Classic [5].

The judges, drawn from more than 20 specialist publications and broadcasters across sixteen countries, made a total of 391 audio and video nominations from 117 labels.

Nominations for all labels in the respective categories are listed below, together with links to further details about each album.

The finalists will be announced on 12 December, and the ICMA winners will be published on 18 January 2023. The Award Ceremony and Gala Concert will take place at the NFM Philharmonic Hall in Wroclaw, on 21 April 2023, in a ceremony featuring the NFM Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero.


EARLY MUSIC
CDS7958
‘The performances by the choir of the Vercelli Cathedral are masterful.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★
OC1726
‘Singer Pur offer us a vivid and characterful programme of works by Ludwig Senfl.’
Gramophone

CHORAL MUSIC
ODE1402-2
‘…a journey into an almost inexhaustible universe of sound awaits the listener. Fascinating!’
Klassik Heute
C5454
‘Segerstam again shows a gift for shaping dramatic scenes.’
Opera News
C5501
‘Technically, the choir sings at a very high level, lean, with suppleness and the best possible balance.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★

OPERA
8.660479
‘A truly exciting discovery, excellently annotated and brilliantly recorded.’
Classical Music Daily
OACD9050D
‘The musical quality of this Finnish production is outstanding.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★
Also available in DVD
C210123
‘With a warm, full and exceedingly rich as well as impeccably conducted voice, Nina Stemme sings a captivating Isolde.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★
C5455
‘Mieczysław Weinberg’s The Passenger is a rare and highly intelligent Holocaust opera.’
Fanfare

SOLO INSTRUMENT
ODE1399-2
‘Brilliant playing of music that belongs firmly in the concert repertoire.’
Limelight
8.574312
‘Piekut hits the sweet spot between technical accuracy and off-the-cuff brilliance.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★
C210051
‘Skride succeeds impressively in characterising each of these four rather short sonatas, together lasting only more than three-quarters of an hour, as effectively as elegantly.’
Pizzicato

CHAMBER MUSIC
C5447
‘The result is a spirit of broad chamber music that is seductively fresh and dynamic.’
Crescendo
8.573616
‘Exquisitely crafted performances by a team of well-matched players are captured in a luminous acoustic on this recording of chamber works. ’
BBC Music Magazine
★★★★★

CONCERTOS
8.574153
‘Boris Giltburg’s recording of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto is offered with a scintillating twist.’
International Piano
ODE1410-2
‘Tetzlaff’s performance of the Brahms Concerto is brisk, and his interpretation at times feels very much of the moment.’
The Strad
C5463
‘Sofia Gulbadamova is a polished pianist with sensitive fingers and a light touch that suits this romantic and sometimes terrifying music.’
American Record Guide
ODE1400-2
‘Vogt is impressively unfazed and dazzlingly understated.’
Gramophone
8.579117
‘I find Paul Merkelo’s virtuosity and ease of expressive and dynamic versatility simply amazing.’
Classical Music Sentinel

SYMPHONIC MUSIC
8.574465-67 [3-Disc Boxed Set]
‘And so this is certainly a highly interesting, often surprising, always musically passionate complete recording of the Brahms symphonies.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★
C5449
‘These sound pictures are subtle rather than theatrical portraits, rich in colour and facets, an affectionate, ever-surprising homage.’
German Record Critics’ Award
SWR19119CD
‘Norrington manages to amaze us along the way with a very exciting interpretation.’
Pizzicato  ★★★★★

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
ODE1411-2
‘The ensemble navigates the score’s rhythmic challenges with aplomb, as well as colour: their performance is at once richly blended and stylish.’
The Arts Fuse
ODE1393-2
‘Andrè Schuen shows himself to be an exceptional embodiment of the music and the great variety of colours…’
Classica ★★★★★
8.570621
‘Tan remains a composer of keen resourcefulness and sensitivity.’
Gramophone

ASSORTED PROGRAMMES
SWR19110CD
‘[Pietari’s] conducting is powerful, very gestural, and takes the listener into in a world of conflicting emotions...’
Pizzicato ★★★★★
C250131
‘Michael Gielen brings all the precision and vivacity for which he is well known to these performances.’
MusicWeb International
C5465
‘Brilliant interpretations make this Paladi discovery tour a musical delight.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★
8.579091
‘…exquisite display of the individual composer’s voice.’
Pizzicato

HISTORICAL
SWR19114CD
‘A fitting, if mixed, tribute to one of the great violinists of the 20th century.’
The Strad
SWR19115CD
‘This set is yet another feather in his cap, one that should be heard by all serious music lovers.’
The Art Music Lounge
SWR19118CD
‘The Stuttgart interpretation is exciting and dramatic.’
Pizzicato ★★★★

PREMIERE RECORDINGS
8.559867
‘Heavenly violin playing by the mother and fine orchestral accompaniment by the daughter.’
de Gelderlander ★★★★★
C5476
‘[Winterberg’s music] certainly receives persuasive advocacy from Johannes Kalitzke and the Berlin Radio Symphony.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★

VIDEO: OPERA
OA1334D [DVD]
‘A musically excellent Fidelio married to a thought-provoking, challenging production.’
Gramophone
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110693 [DVD]
‘The imaginative staging is matched by William Christie’s polished direction at the helm of an enthusiastic cast.’
Classica
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110733 [DVD]
‘Refined and colourful both scenically and musically.’
new-classics.co.uk
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110709 [DVD]
‘A wonderfully convincing performance and a first-class production full of imaginative touches.’
MusicWeb International
Also available in Blu-ray Video
OA1055D [DVD]
‘Stéphane Braunschweig’s intense production from Madrid’s Teatro Real, with a cast of international stature, takes its place as another highly worthy version of this profound masterpiece.’
Opera News
Also available in Blu-ray Video
OA1348D [DVD]
‘Theatrically compelling: Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducts the English Baroque Soloists and a superb line-up of soloists in Monteverdi.’
Gramophone
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110707 [DVD]
‘The cast is truly exquisite. Each singer etches a strikingly individual portrayal that projects the story with perfect clarity, enhanced by impeccable diction.’
American Record Guide
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110731 [DVD]
‘It’s a superb production of Rimsky-Korsakov’s radical squib.’
Opera
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110713 [DVD]
‘This Graz production is a powerful musical and vocal experience.’
Crescendo
Also available in Blu-ray Video
BAC165 [DVD]
‘Tcherniakov’s staging…features exceptional physical energy and movement.’
Gramophone
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110711 [DVD]
‘A theatrical as well as vocal masterpiece.’
Diapason
Also available in Blu-ray Video

VIDEO PERFORMANCE & DOCUMENTARIES
BAC198 [DVD]
‘…an exploration of the style and working method of Tero Saarinen.’
Scherzo
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110708 [DVD]
‘This a fascinating documentary about the continued obsession that Wagner’s music causes in his many disciples.’
American Record Guide
Also available in Blu-ray Video
NEW
FUOCO SACRO - A Search for the Sacred Fire of Song (Documentary, 2022) (NTSC)
2.110710 [DVD]
Also available in Blu-ray Video

Congratulations to the nominees and everyone involved!

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro reinvents the classic tale of the wooden marionette who is magically brought to life in order to mend the heart of a grieving woodcarver named Geppetto. This whimsical, stop-motion film directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson follows the mischievous and disobedient adventures of Pinocchio in his pursuit of a place in the world.

Stream on Netflix this December and see if you can catch Mild und leise wie er lächelt from Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde as recorded by Naxos.


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

Celebrating Maria Kliegel’s 70th birthday

8.578370-72 [3 Discs]

Maria Kliegel celebrated her 70th birthday on 14 November and this collection brings together some of her most outstanding recordings, personally selected by Kliegel from her vast Naxos discography. Known as ‘La Cellissima’, Maria Kliegel’s playing is characterised by a warmth, sensitivity and refinement that complements everything she performs. Combining the best from her teachers János Starker and Mstislav Rostropovich, and working alongside excellent orchestras and pianists, Kliegel’s inspirational joie de vivre radiates from all of these performances. From her GRAMMY-nominated Bach Cello Suites to a Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto ranked among the top 50 recordings of the 20th century by Scala, this collection is a major celebration of Maria Kliegel’s fluent virtuosity and irreplaceable musicianship.

‘She’s not called “La Cellissima” for nothing! That she’s seen as such and has been described by people as a “sculptress in sound” or the “master chef of sound” is substantially the result of her recordings on disc, especially those for Naxos who have released the great majority of her recordings.’

Remy Franck, Editor-in-chief, Pizzicato magazine


OTHER ACCLAIMED RELEASES FEATURING MARIA KLIEGEL
8.557280-81
‘Her interpretations are bold, muscly and unpredictable, clearly intent on blowing a few cobwebs from these venerable works and making sure the listener does not miss a trick.’
Gramophone
8.554288
‘The soloists in the Triple Concerto are brilliant and subtle, as the music dictates.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★
★★★★
8.550503
‘The technical accomplishment of Kliegel’s playing is balanced by a richness of musical insight that won’t disappoint.’
Gramophone
8.557855
‘Maria Kliegel, always reliable in her work for Naxos, plays the music with admirable confidence … An excellent disc all around. ’
ClassicsToday.com
8.550813
‘Maria Kliegel and the Polish National Radio Orchestra…under Antoni Wit also give a very good account of both concertos that can be confidently recommended.’
The Penguin Guide
2.110280-81 [2 DVDs]
‘There is an enormous amount of information covered by a very sympathetic teacher.’
The Huffington Post

For Maria Kliegel’s other recordings, please visit her artist page on naxos.com

Brahms marathon concerts by Adam Fischer and the Danish CO

Conductor Adam Fischer has long enjoyed a deep artistic bond with the Danish Chamber Orchestra (DCO). This year marks the 25th anniversary of their collaboration, which Fischer himself refers to as ‘a musical marriage’: "The many years together have created the foundation for a mutual understanding of music and a highly distinctive style of playing that has been recognised far beyond Denmark’s national borders.” The orchestra presented a special, marathon performance of all the Brahms symphonies during two concerts in one day on 22 November.

The Copenhagen concerts were streamed live on the Naxos YouTube channel. Click on the following videos to enjoy the concert recordings:
Symphony Nos. 1 & 2
Symphony Nos. 3 & 4
8.574465-67
[3-Disc Boxed Set]

In the summer of 2022, Adam Fischer and the Danish Chamber Orchestra's new recording of Johannes Brahms' four symphonies was released.

‘…constantly fascinating performances.’

The Guardian ★★★★★

‘With a sense of pace, excellent balance, high energy and a thoroughly dramatic expression.’

Politiken ★★★★★

‘And so this is certainly a highly interesting, often surprising, always musically passionate complete recording of the Brahms symphonies.’

Pizzicato ★★★★★


OTHER HIGHLIGHTED RELEASE
8.505251
[5-Disc Boxed Set]

Adam Fischer's previous release of Beethoven’s complete symphonies was the most-awarded Naxos release in 2019. It won the Opus Klassik and International Classical Music Awards ‘Best Symphonic Recording’ categories, as well as ICMA’s ‘Recording of the Year’ award.

‘Adam Fischer and the Danish Chamber Orchestra present a very convincing, coherent and meaningful set of Beethoven’s symphonies whose main characteristic is the rhetorical diversity showing all Beethoven’s various facets.’

ICMA

★★★★★
★★★★★

PrestoMusic Box Set Supersale – up to 50% off

Until 9 January 2023, PrestoMusic is offering up to 50% off selected titles on some of the Naxos Music Group labels. It's the perfect time to pick out a bargain for yourself!


RECENT BESTSELLERS
8.505251
[3-Disc Boxed Set]
8.501111
[11-Disc Boxed Set]
C7325
[5-Disc Boxed Set]
C7210
[4-Disc Boxed Set]
CDS7869
[3-Disc Boxed Set]
CDS7734.40
[40-Disc Boxed Set]
OC1900
[4-Disc Boxed Set]
OC125
[10-Disc Boxed Set]
C220043
[3-Disc Boxed Set]
C977195
[5-Disc Boxed Set]
OA1337BD
[22-DVD Boxed Set]
Also available in 18-BD Boxed Set
OA1301BD
[23-DVD Boxed Set]

prestomusic.com

New on the Naxos Blog

Piston Power
November 25, 2022

Quite by accident, I came across the fact that November 25, the date of this posting, also marks the 1955 premiere of American composer Walter Piston’s Sixth Symphony. Taking the lead from that touch of serendipity, I thought this edition might give a sketch of the composer and his output. Within my own sphere of…


Cláudio Santoro: Symphonies 11 and 12
November 11, 2022

The previous edition of our Naxos blog focused on two symphonies that Brazilian composer Cláudio Santoro composed in the 1950s – the Fourth and Fifth – the latter written to mark the founding of the country’s new capital, Brasilia. Santoro (1919–89) was a member of the Brazilian Communist Party, which brought him major problems during…

blog.naxos.com

Stefan Herheim’s staging of Wagner’s epic Der Ring des Nibelungen

The tetralogy of four operas that form Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) explores the conjunction of love and power in a mythic landscape in which true power resides in possession of the ring. Composed over more than a quarter of a century, monumental in scale, and structured after the precedent of Greek drama, the cycle was first performed in 1876. Staged by the award-winning director Stefan Herheim, this innovative new production from Deutsche Oper Berlin features a leading international cast conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles. The cast features world-class performers, including Nina Stemme, one of the leading Wagner singers of the present day.

2.107001
[7-DVD Boxed Set]
Also available on 4-BD Boxed Set
Nina Stemme Clay Hilley
Iain Paterson Brandon Jovanovich
Elisabeth Teige Albert Pesendorfer
Orchestra and Chorus of the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Conductor Sir Donald Runnicles
Stage Director Stefan Herheim
Set Designers Silke Bauer, Stefan Herheim
Costume Designer Uta Heiseke
Lighting Designer Ulrich Niepel
Video Projection Torge Møller, William Duke, Dan Trenchard
Dramaturgy Alexander Meier-Dörzenbach, Jörg Königsdorf
Film Director Götz Filenius

Filmed on 9–21 November 2021 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin


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!

Playlists for November/December

Looking for new music? Our selection of curated playlists has you covered with music to complement the season, moment, or activity! We’re approaching the season for giving. Inspire young minds with the Smart Kids Classical playlist and discover the perfect soundtrack for your upcoming gatherings with the Classical Dinner Party e Naxos. Discover a collection of classical Christmas favourites with the Celebrate Classical! Christmas playlist from Naxos. Toast to the smooth sounds of the season with unCLASSIFIED’s Christmas Cocktail Party playlist or kick up your heels with Grand Piano’s Let’s Dance. Make memories with the people you care about most with Naxos Moods’ Holiday Favourites or let your imagination soar by delving into one of the most interesting musical landscapes of Russian music with Grand Piano’s The Age of Russian Avant-Garde playlist. Then wind down from all the excitement and warm up with the soothing Fireplace Relaxing playlist from Naxos Moods or drift off into sweet dreams and peaceful sleep with the Lullaby Baby playlist. Happy listening!


IN THE MOOD FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT

We’re excited to announce the launch of Naxos Moods! Naxos Moods is an ecosystem of playlists curated by experts and musicologists to complement the wide range of feelings and activities people experience every day, with an emphasis on stress alleviation, relaxation, and inspiration. These playlists aim to create an exceptionally diverse listening experience, leveraging not only the Naxos classical catalogue, but world and jazz music as well. Exciting developments to the Naxos Moods initiative are coming soon – stay tuned for more!

Install Naxos Moods on your iOS devices now!

Discover the Naxos Atmosphere playlist, a spatial experience from the Naxos world of classical music featuring Dolby Atmos technology.


Don’t forget to follow Naxos on these streaming sites

Cornelius Meister explores Bohuslav Martinů’s short operas

Martinů was a musical chameleon. On the one hand, there’s a unique character to his output; on the other, he would adopt and adapt to just about any style that happened to be in fashion or to his liking. These two one-act operas, recorded for the first time in their respective versions, are a case in point. There’s the sensational Knife Tears (in its original French version), in which Martinů sets an absurdist libretto to the sounds of Le Jazz Hot, Stravinsky, and anything in between. This is juxtaposed with his Comedy on the Bridge in the English version that helped the work enjoy brief fame and which stands in complete contrast (if anything more in the style of Hanns Eisler) despite being separated by only seven years. This recording is presented by the Staatsorchester Stuttgart under the direction of award-winning conductor Cornelius Meister.


RECOMMENDED ALBUMS OF MUSIC BY MARTINŮ
C5320
‘Cornelius Meister has a refreshing vision of Martinů’s symphonies.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★
8.572206
‘Giorgio Koukl, clearly has the measure of the pieces and projects them about as well as one could wish. Both he and conductor Fagen have considerable experience in Martinů’s music.’
MusicWeb International
8.572025
‘Koukl glides effortlessly through all the pieces and once again produces a programme of enjoyment and interest in equal measure. A splendid recording.’
Gramophone
8.572251
‘The Arbor Trio brings a strong sense of line and lyricism to Martinů’s Cinq pièces brèves…’
The Strad
SWR19119CD
‘Norrington manages to amaze us along the way with a very exciting interpretation.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★
8.573823
‘The performances are excellent… The accompaniments are deftly delivered and full of character, and balance between the singer and the piano is exemplary.’
MusicWeb International

Get ready for the holiday season with our new Christmas releases

Christmas is one of the most richly celebrated seasons around the world. Naxos has released many imaginative and beautiful albums of carols and other Christmas music, from ancient to modern times, many of which have been critically praised for their quality and musical interest. And, of course, many feature the favourite Christmas carols we all know and love.


NEW RELEASES
SWR19125DVD [DVD]
Also available in Blu-ray Video
2.110738 [DVD]
Also available in Blu-ray Video
OA1367D [DVD]

Browse through the Christmas catalogue for other great holiday titles.

Robert Trevino presents his second Ravel album with the Basque National Orchestra

In this video Robert Trevino talks about the recording process of this second Ravel album with the orchestra, and highlights some of the oustanding works from the new album.

ODE1416-2

Robert Trevino’s first Ravel album with the Basque National Orchestra received an excellent response. The programme in this second volume is perhaps more ‘French’ in nature, but the Basque orchestra gives dazzling performances of the works by their own national composer. While the first album was focused on some of Ravel’s most popular orchestral works, this album includes some rarities, including Ma mère l’Oye (Mother Goose) in its complete ballet version, as well as one world premiere recording: Pierre Boulez’s orchestration of Ravel’s World War I era piano work, Frontispice.


RECORDINGS FEATURING ROBERT TREVINO
ODE1385-2
‘Since its formation in 1982 Maurice Ravel’s spectacular showpieces have been a vital part of the Basque National Orchestra’s DNA.’
Limelight
★★★★★
★★★★
ODE1348-5Q
‘Trevino reveals himself as a lean, lithe, fresh-sounding Beethovenian.’
Limelight ★★★★
★★★★
ODE1396-2
‘Virtually unknown pieces of symphonic Americana turn out to be lively and contemporary in the hands of conductor Trevino.’
AllMusic.com ★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★
ODE1405-2
‘This is a necessary listening for admirers of Rautavaara. These are electric, vivid performances of his twilight works.’
American Record Guide
Label of the Month
Check the email message for your free download link
Naxos
Artist of the Month
Jun Märkl
The 2023 GRAMMY and ICMA nominees
Robert Trevino presents his second Ravel album with the Basque National Orchestra
© Håkan Röjder
Celebrating Maria Kliegel’s 70th birthday
© Conny Müller
Brahms marathon concerts by Adam Fischer and the Danish CO
Stefan Herheim’s staging
of Wagner’s epic Der Ring des Nibelungen
PrestoMusic Box Set Supersale –
up to 50% off
New on the Naxos Blog
Cornelius Meister explores Bohuslav Martinů’s short operas
Playlists for November/December
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Get ready for the holiday season with our new Christmas releases
Label of the Month – Naxos
Check the email message for your free download link
Artist of the Month
Jun Märkl
The 2023 GRAMMY and ICMA nominees
Brahms marathon concerts by Adam Fischer and the Danish CO
Stefan Herheim’s staging of Wagner’s epic Der Ring des Nibelungen
Robert Trevino presents his second Ravel album with the Basque National Orchestra
Celebrating Maria Kliegel’s 70th birthday
Cornelius Meister explores Bohuslav Martinů’s short operas
Get ready for the holiday season with our new Christmas releases
PrestoMusic Box Set Supersale – up to 50% off
New on the Naxos Blog
Playlists for November/December
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio