The January NEW ON NAXOS features a rare pairing of symphonies by French composer César Franck and his student Ernest Chausson, presented by conductor Jean-Luc Tingaud and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin – one of Berlin’s top orchestras and ranked in the highest echelon of German radio orchestras. This programme includes Franck’s Symphony in D minor which is considered one of the greatest French orchestral works of the 19th century, coupled with Chausson’s Symphony in B flat major, inspired by Frank’s thematic metamorphoses.
Other highlights include an audiovisual recording of Oper Frankfurt production of Domenico Cimarosa’s opera L’Italiana in Londra, staged by R.B. Schlather; Antonín Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 2 presented by the distinguished Fine Arts Quartet; Philip Stopford’s Sacred Choral Music conducted by Jeremy Summerly; and more.
Watch our monthly New on Naxos video to sample the highlighted releases of the month.
César Franck’s only symphony came at a time when the French music world was seeking to rival the great Austro-German tradition. The ‘darkness-to-light’ narrative of the Symphony in D minor owes a debt to Beethoven and there is a unique power within its distinctive themes, innovative cyclic form and general gravitas. Franck’s student Ernest Chausson was no doubt inspired by his teacher’s thematic metamorphoses, but the anguished influence of Wagner is also ever present. The published score of the Symphony in B flat major includes many errors which conductor Jean-Luc Tingaud has meticulously corrected after careful study of Chausson’s autograph manuscripts.
WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING
Taro’s Wonderful World was conceived by conductor/composer Fabrice Bollon and author Julia Liebermann as an introduction or initiation into classical music both for children and adults unfamiliar with the genre. Taro, a child from the planet Trujillo, is woken one night by a curious little melody. His adventures take us through increasingly sophisticated and surprising sonic constellations that light-heartedly turn favourite classics upside down and inside out, exploring every facet of the orchestra and combining a wide variety of musical styles in a uniquely enjoyable way. A digital-only version with German narration is also available to stream and download (9.70356).
WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING
INCLUDES WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS
In addition to having written the first Viennese operetta, Franz von Suppé was a master of the Italian, French and German styles which he blended like an alchemist to form his own unique, irrepressible compositions. Two imperishable examples are here, the overtures Poet and Peasant and Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna. This album also explores his previously unrecorded Fantasia Symphonica, recently rediscovered in Viennese archives by conductor Ola Rudner, which displays masterful orchestration, distinctive melodies and a mastery of counterpoint. Other rarities complete this fresh look at the breadth of Suppé’s ambition.
Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester • Hussain
Schlather
L’Italiana in Londra was Domenico Cimarosa’s first international triumph, thrilling audiences all over Europe after its premiere in 1778. It later became eclipsed by the even bigger success of Il matrimonio segreto however, and has become a rarity on stage today. Set in a London hotel, this cheerful ‘Intermezzo in musica’ has cleverly crafted arias, duets and ensembles that drive the plot along, the story being one of thwarted love, quarrels and misunderstandings. L’Italiana in Londra has been summed up by director R.B. Schlather as ‘incredibly charming and sophisticated … demanding, dark, dirty and very funny … an impeccable rom-com.’
Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino • Conlon
Victor Hugo’s 1830 stage drama Hernani won overwhelming admiration, and over a decade later Verdi’s attention was drawn to it as an operatic vehicle that would give him opportunities for full dramatic unity. Its subject is the nobleman-turned-brigand Ernani who loves Elvira, herself the object of two other men’s desires. Ernani’s success was immediate and it became Verdi’s most popular opera until he composed Il trovatore. This production won critical acclaim, as did conductor James Conlon for his ‘superb support of the singers and the flexible elasticity he brought to his tempi’ (OperaTraveller.com).
FINAL VOLUME
Antonín Dvořák is revered as one of the greatest composers of late 19th-century Romanticism. He is celebrated for the kind of poignant melodies redolent of Czech folk music found in the utterly charming Bagatelles and Rondo – the haunting tunes and harmonic twists of which represent the distinctive style that brought him international fame. Less known is that during the years 1868–70 Dvořák composed in a style so wild for the time that it foreshadowed the modernistic innovations of Schoenberg and his contemporaries. Dvořák’s Second Quartet reveals fascinating examples of early experimentation before his transition into the harmonious Slavic style for which he is so beloved.
Gabriel Fauré’s Piano Quartet in C minor was one of the first of its genre in France, composed as part of the ‘Ars Gallica’ idea of strengthening French music against German cultural domination. Fauré didn’t entirely escape the influence of Brahms however, and both he and his pupil George Enescu share a spiritual closeness to German late Romanticism in the melancholy complexity of expression in these chamber masterpieces. The monumental first movement of Enescu’s First Piano Quartet contrasts with the rhythmic momentum of the last, in a work that integrates French impressionism with the unmistakable folk music characteristics of his native Romania.
INCLUDES WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS
José Antônio de Almeida Prado was one of the most prolific and creative Brazilian composers of the second half of the 20th century, finding inspiration in everything from the birdsong and forests of his native country to a contemplation of the galaxies. The evocative Le Livre magique de Xangô is considered a foundational work in Almeida Prado’s final, eclectic postmodern phase, during which folk music also re-emerged in works such as Das Cirandas. The lively Solo Violin Sonata and lyrical Capriccio both explore the violin’s full expressive potential, while The Four Seasons tests the skill of younger players.
INCLUDES A WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING
Trio Pangea explores the rich variety to be found in a century of Portuguese chamber music history. Armando José Fernandes was one of the most prominent Portuguese composers of the mid-20th century, and with its contrasting musical playfulness and serene solemnity his Sonata a Tre reveals the composer’s strong attachment to neo-Classicism. Nuno Côrte-Real’s Sonata Holandesa is representative of a shifting compositional style that ranges in expression from violent to dreamlike. One of Liszt’s last pupils, José Viana da Mota has been described as ‘utterly Brahmsian’ in the noble opening to his Piano Trio, elements of which also reflect the influence of his teacher.
Choir of St Luke’s, Chelsea • Chelsea Camerata • Summerly
WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS
Philip Stopford is admired in Britain and America for his beautifully crafted music, rooted in the Anglican tradition. His works are memorable and colourful, as these world premiere recordings demonstrate. The biggest piece on this album is the Missa Deus nobiscum, a sacred concert work with a scintillating role for soprano soloist that displays Stopford’s compositional skill, creating a journey rather than a sequence of set piece movements. Elsewhere, in pieces for a variety of locations and occasions, his music is evocative, filmic and vividly celebratory.
WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING
Daron Hagen is a force to be reckoned with in the world of opera and orchestral music, with Guggenheim, Rockefeller, and Kennedy Center Friedheim Awards numbering among his accolades. With Hagen’s catalog of over 500 songs and large-scale cycles, The Art of Song is founded on 45 years of distinguished experience in vocal music. Divided into four “life seasons,” this richly emotional cycle embraces themes that range from the human cost of America’s politics since the Civil War; the rueful wisdom of aging, love and nostalgia; and on towards tragedy, faith and an acceptance of nature’s cycles.
Narrated by Leighton Pugh
Franz Schubert was regarded chiefly as a composer of domestic music, and during his all-too-brief life managed to publish only a quarter of his works. Without patronage and without ever becoming well known or a virtuoso, how did Schubert manage to achieve unprecedented expressivity in song composition, or to create his chamber, symphonic and piano masterpieces? And how did he reconcile the warring elements of his tempestuous personality? This vivid biographical narrative includes selections from his most popular works including the String Quintet in C major and the ‘Trout’ Quintet, as well as the symphonies, and examples from his Lieder and stage works.
Seeking the Divine reflects on moments in Jason Carter’s life where a strong sense of purpose was revealed to him. It echoes the inner tranquillity that can come over us, sometimes unexpectedly, when we realise with complete acceptance what our role is within this world. Jason’s music, performed on his harp-guitar in distant corners of the globe, reflects his quest for serenity and intercultural connection. With life-changing experiences in places like North Korea, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia, this album is a testament to the universal language of music and the pursuit of something beyond ourselves.
The New & Now playlist features all that is new and exciting in the world of classical music, whether it’s new music, new presentations or new performers. With more than 200 new releases each year, and artists from around the world, there is always something new to discover with Naxos.
This month, there are some fantastic new additions to the playlist!
- George Antheil: Violin Sonata No. 1: II. Andante moderato (Tianwa Yang, Nicholas Rimmer)
- Charles Ives: Set No. 9 of 3 Pieces for Chamber Orchestra: III. Largo to Presto: The Unanswered Question (ed. J. Sinclair) (Orchestra New England, Sinclair)
- Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Violin Concerto in G Major, Op. 2, No. 1: III. Rondeau (Fumika Mohri, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, Halász)
- Domenico Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in D Major, K.178/L.162/P.392 (arr. L. Peretić for guitar) (Lovro Peretić)
- Francesco Durante: Laudate pueri Dominum a 4 (Carmignani, Arrivabene, Ferrarini, Vargetto, Valotti, Acciai)
- Władysław Żeleński: Janek, Act I: Gdy ślub weźmiesz z twoim Stachem (reconstructed by P. Pietruszewski) (Gaj, Lublin Philharmonic Orchestra, Rodek)
- György Ligeti: Études, Book 1: No. 6. Automne à Varsovie (Han Chen)
- José Antônio Rezende de Almeida Prado: Sinfonia dos orixás (Symphony of the orishas): Saudação a Exu (Salutation to Eshu) (São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, N. Thomson)
- Adolphe Adam: Orfa, Act I: Act I: Mazurka, ‘Les traîneaux’ (Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Salvi)
- Imre Széchényi: Serenade in A Minor (Lázár, Kassai)
- Namlim Lee: Arirang (Kyoung Cho, Won Cho, Eun-Hee Park)