NEW RELEASES NEWSLETTER
May 2011

Spectacular New Naxos Blu-ray Audio Disc
SZYMANOWSKI Symphonies Nos 1 and 2
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra • Antoni Wit, conductor
Naxos Orchestral Blu-ray Audio NBD0021
Although Szymanowski later dubbed his Symphony No. 1 a “contrapuntal-harmonic-orchestral monster” and disavowed the influence of Wagner, Reger and Richard Strauss, it is an astonishingly powerful work by a composer only in his mid-20s and still enthralls listeners a century after its première. The unusually structured Symphony No. 2 is a work of great impact and invention, with many passionate and varied contrasts in its use of solo instruments, in particular the violin. On their CD release, these thrilling interpretations of Szymanowski’s Symphony No. 1 (8.570722) earned 5 STARS from BBC Music Magazine, while the Symphony No. 2 (8.570721) gained Gramophone Editor’s Choice and 5 STARS for these “deliriously sensual scores” from Classic FM.

Download
CD version (8.570721)
Sample track from this album
Symphony No 2:
2nd Movement, Variation 6



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Once again our founder and Chairman Klaus Heymann shares his thoughts and opinions on new recordings from Naxos. Klaus Heymann created Naxos Records as a way to pursue his passion for music and share it with others around the world. Despite the demands of running a large company, he still guides repertoire choices and oversees many details of the label personally.

8.572583 DEBUSSY Orchestral Works, Vol 6

Volume 5 received outstanding reviews [“These treasureable pieces have never sounded finer on disc” – Classic FM Magazine] and this volume is in the same league. Most of them are orchestrations of piano works by Debussy’s contemporaries and the disc provides more than an hour of enjoyable listening, performed by one of France’s top orchestras and conducted by a “master Debussyan” [Classic FM Magazine].

    Also available:
    8.570759 DEBUSSY Orchestral Works, Vol 1
    8.570993 DEBUSSY Orchestral Works, Vol 2
    8.572296 DEBUSSY Orchestral Works, Vol 3
    8.572297 DEBUSSY Orchestral Works, Vol 4
    8.572568 DEBUSSY Orchestral Works, Vol 5
8.572459 SCHUBERT Piano Sonatas Nos 4 and 13, Wanderer Fantasy

This is one of the finest recordings of Schubert sonatas and of the Wanderer Fantasy I have ever heard. The interpretations are powerful, subtle, dynamic and completely unsentimental. Nebolsin is one of the finest pianists of our time [“Scintillating pianism that can rival the greats in this repertoire” – Gramophone on his recordings of the Chopin piano concertos] and this recording confirms his status.

8.572372 GINASTERA Cello Concertos

I am amazed that these brilliant concertos don’t get performed more often – they would make great alternatives to Dvořák and Elgar although, of course, they are written in a completely different, more modern style. The composer was married to a cellist and the writing for the solo instrument is completely idiomatic. The soloist here is the new solo cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra, one of the world’s finest. Terrific music in exciting performances.

    Also available:
    8.570569 GINASTERA Complete Music for Cello and Piano
8.572483 Georges LENTZ Ingwe

This is a project I have been involved with for a long time. The work is something truly extraordinary -- a 60-minute work for solo electric guitar. It's a monumental meditation on the bleak vastness of the Australian outback and the radiance of its night skies. This is not only for guitar enthusiasts but for every music lover who has an open mind for exciting new sound experiences. The soloist, Zane Banks, studied both the classical and jazz guitar and worked closely with the composer during the recording sessions.

    Also available:
    8.557019 LENTZ ‘Caeli enarrant…’ III and IV, Birrung, Nguurraa

Among the extraordinary range of this month’s Naxos new releases are these fifteen outstanding albums. Click on each cover image for more about each album.


Spectacular New Naxos Blu-ray Video Disc

ALFANO Cyrano de Bergerac (Blu-ray Disc Version)
Plácido Domingo (Cyrano) • Sondra Radvanovsky (Roxane)
Arturo Chacón Cruz (Christian) • Rod Gilfry (De Guiche)
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana • Patrick Fournillier, conductor
Michal Znaniecki, stage director

Naxos Opera Blu-ray Video NBD0005
While best known today for having composed the ending to Puccini’s unfinished Turandot, Franco Alfano wrote some dozen operas, including Cyrano de Bergerac (1936) with a libretto by Henri Cain based on Edmond Rostand’s drama of the same name. It is a moving tale of romantic misunderstanding, swash buckling bravado and heartbreaking loyalty, in which the eloquent Cyrano feels unable to express his love for Roxane because of his famously protuberant nose - except on behalf of his handsome but inarticulate friend, Christian. When Domingo and Radvanovsky sang Cyrano and Roxane at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, Andante magazine wrote: “Incredibly, Cyrano is his 121st role. And it suits him splendidly… Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky was luminous as Roxane, her passionate outbursts showing off her powerful upper register to good effect”.



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Naxos distributes several outstanding CD labels in many countries. Click on the distributed label names below to view their catalogues on naxos.com. Here are some recent and forthcoming releases to whet your appetite (click on the covers for more information about each album):

Naxos distributes several outstanding DVD labels in many countries. Click on the distributed label names below to view their catalogues on naxos.com. Here are some recent and forthcoming releases to whet your appetite (click on the covers for more information about each album):






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See what we’re featuring this month in various countries around the world. Click on the country for more information:


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Canada
 
Germany
 
Norway
China
 
Hong Kong
 
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Denmark
 
Japan
 
UK
Finland
 
Korea
 
USA




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