Memorial Tribute Concert: Live at New England Conservatory
Catalog #: NV5811
Release Date: May 1, 2009
20th CenturyChamberClarinetPiano TrioDonald Martino composer Peter Homans composer Malcolm Peyton composer Recorded live May 8, 2007 at Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston, MA Engineering for “Quintino” and “Serenata Concertante”: Frank Cunningham Photos courtesy of the Martino family Special thanks to Peter Homans and Lora [...]
Sculpting the Air
Catalog #: NV5852
Release Date: June 1, 2011
20th CenturyChamberLarge EnsembleWind EnsembleSCULPTING THE AIR is a collection of modern works featuring brass and flute instrumentations from composers Samuel Barber, James Adler, Russ Lombardi, Jan Van der Roost, Barry Seroff, Brian Gillett, Juan Sebastian Lach Lau and Richard Crosby. The works on this disc range from a rhapsodic wind quintet originally composed for winds, strings and piano to a musical representation of a familial argument to a spectral piece based on one of Satie's Gymnopédies.
European Folkscapes
Catalog #: NV5941
Release Date: January 1, 2014
20th CenturyChamberString QuartetEUROPEAN FOLKSCAPES showcases traditional European folk melodies in dynamic new contexts, featuring original arrangements for string quartet transcribed from field recordings by the critically acclaimed Apollo Chamber Players. The Apollo Chamber Players' premiere album on Navona Records also includes Fantasy on Bulgarian Rhythms by Karim Al-Zand, a newly commissioned work illuminating Apollo's mission to explore the intersection of classical and folk/ethnic music.
Ballade
Catalog #: NV5952
Release Date: May 1, 2014
20th CenturyChamberPianoViolinWith uncompromised interpretation, duo526, the powerful union of violinist Kerry DuWors and pianist Futaba Niekawa, presents BALLADE, their debut on Navona Records, performing violin sonatas by Leoš Janácek, George Enescu, and Edvard Grieg-repertoire rarely performed together. Yet each of the three sonatas introduces themes from European folk tunes and exalted Romanticism.
Introspective Odyssey
Catalog #: NV6005
Release Date: August 14, 2015
20th CenturyChamberString QuartetFollow three composers on a journey through early 20th-century Europe, reflecting on various experiences including the life of a student, the rush of bullfighting, and the folklore of Scandinavia on the debut Navona Records release by the Skyros Quartet, INTROSPECTIVE ODYSSEY. Consisting of Sarah Pizzichemi, violin; James Moat, violin; Justin Kurys, viola; and William Braun, cello; the quartet presents works by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976), Joaquín Turina (1882-1949), and Jean Sibelius (1865-1957).
Blurred Boundaries
Catalog #: NV6038
Release Date: April 8, 2016
20th CenturyChamberString QuartetApollo Chamber Players’ present their latest Navona release BLURRED BOUNDARIES, featuring commissions from veteran composers Libby Larsen and Marty Regan, as well as from the winner of Apollo’s inaugural International Commissioning Contest, Erberk Eryılmaz. These three commissions mark the beginning of 20x2020, Apollo’s initiative to commission 20 new folk music-inspired works by the end of the decade. Each of these composers explores culturally-specific musical traditions and presents folk material in ways that are engaging, unique, and revelatory.
Twentieth Century Duos
Catalog #: NV6046
Release Date: June 10, 2016
20th CenturyChamberPianoViolinYuriy Bekker, violinist on Navona Records release TWENTIETH CENTURY DUOS, is joined by renowned pianist Andrew Armstrong in some of the most beautiful and rarely-performed works of the twentieth century by Jewish composers Erich Korngold and Aaron Copland. Bekker says of the album, “The idea for this project finally came to fruition with the help of the rare 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin. This is the first sound recording of this violin and I believe these particular selections by Korngold and Copland highlight its most magical qualities.”
Pheonix Ensemble
Catalog #: NV6076
Release Date: February 10, 2017
20th CenturyChamberClarinetString QuartetWind EnsembleNavona Records is proud to present PHOENIX ENSEMBLE: CHAMBER WORKS OF HENRI MARTEAU AND ALEXANDER ZEMLINSKY. The Phoenix Ensemble is a mixed instrument chamber music ensemble. Founded in 1991 by New York-based clarinetist Mark Lieb, the Phoenix Ensemble aims to “inspire a new and diverse audience for classical music.” They undertake this challenge by presenting two works by late romantic French composer Henri Marteau, who is relatively unknown in the music world, as well as presenting one work by Austrian composer Alexander Zemlinsky. Both composers were active at the turn of the 19th century.
An Arc of Quartets
Catalog #: NV6081
Release Date: March 10, 2017
20th CenturyChamberString QuartetAs the title of this album suggests, AN ARC OF QUARTETS gives listeners unique access to a continuum of composer Michael G. Cunningham’s intricate and inviting string music. Five international string ensembles present the album’s seven compositions, including Sirius Quartet from New York; The Moravian Quartet from the Czech Republic; the Millennium Quartet from Florida; and The Pedroia Quartet and New England String Quartet, both from Massachusetts.
Argot
Catalog #: NV6105
Release Date: July 14, 2017
20th CenturyChamberPianoViolinVéronique Mathieu’s ARGOT is a spectacular demonstration of her abilities as a violinist, as well as the dramatic range of her instrument. The recording embodies the definition of its title – ‘argot’, which means the language of a particular group – in two meaningful ways. First, Mathieu has selected a unique array of violin-centric works that illuminate the creative strengths of twentieth century modernist composers. Second, as a result of the album’s daring program and Mathieu’s incredible talents, listeners enjoy the opportunity to hear every nuance of the violin’s expressive vocabulary executed at the highest possible level.
Elegia
Catalog #: NV6120
Release Date: September 8, 2017
20th CenturyChamberClarinetPianoClarinetist Christopher Nichols makes his PARMA and Navona Records debut with ELEGIA, a compilation of Italian, French, and American clarinet works spanning two centuries. These works include repertoire standards, little-recorded rarities, and recent music from contemporary composer Kevin Cope. Collaborative pianist Julie Nishimura joins Nichols for these recordings.
Shostakovich
Catalog #: NV6125
Release Date: October 13, 2017
20th CenturyChamberString QuartetFollowing their debut release DRESS CODE on Navona Records, Altius Quartet returns with a drastically different set of repertoire on SHOSTAKOVICH STRING QUARTETS 7, 8 & 9 but is played with the same passion and meticulous dedication one could expect from the group. The quartet notes that through studying these works the group was able to find their artistic voices both as individuals as well as an ensemble.
Nouvelle Vie
Catalog #: NV6135
Release Date: January 12, 2018
20th CenturyRomanticChamberFlutePianoOn her new album NOUVELLE VIE, flutist Michelle Batty Stanley and pianist Margaret McDonald breathe new life into classic 19th and 20th century compositions. The duo dream up new interpretations of both familiar French favorites as well as works by lesser known composers.
The Eloquent Saxophone
Catalog #: NV6158
Release Date: May 11, 2018
20th CenturyChamberPianoSaxophoneNavona Records is proud to announce the re-release of David Tanner's 1988 album THE ELOQUENT SAXOPHONE. Tanner is no Stranger to Navona; his compositions and arrangements can be heard on two other Navona releases: Of Birds and Lemons (2012) and Dashing (2016). This was his first album, featuring him as a performer. It includes two unaccompanied pieces and two sax quartets recorded by multi-tracking, as well as a rich variety of works with accompaniment admirably rendered by pianist Marc Widner. The music ranges from Schumann to a stylized blues by Gene DiNovi.
Parts to Play
Catalog #: NV6165
Release Date: June 8, 2018
20th Century21st CenturyChamberSolo InstrumentalPianoViolinOn PARTS TO PLAY, critically acclaimed violinist Moonkyung Lee turns from the symphonic environment of the critically lauded label debut, TCHAIKOVSKY, on which she performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, to a more intimate setting, with only pianist Martha Locker as her partner on a selection of works that include both stunning solo performances and intricate yet simple duets.
40 Years of Contemporary Music
Catalog #: NV6172
Release Date: July 13, 2018
20th Century21st CenturyChamberLarge EnsemblePercussionVoiceSince composer, conductor and musicologist Alicia Terzian founded Grupos Encuentros in 1978, the six-person group has garnered international acclaim for its success at bringing the music of avant-garde Argentinian and Latin American composers to the world. On 40 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC, their debut recording for NAVONA RECORDS, the group combines compositions from such well-known Latin American composers as Heitor Villa-Lobos, Alberto Ginaslera, and Terzian herself with works by an international array of composers that ranges from Anton Webern (Germany) to Luciano Berio (Italy) to Franz Schreker (Austria) to Pierre Boulez (France).
Unexplored
Catalog #: NV6171
Release Date: August 10, 2018
20th CenturyRomanticChamberCelloPianoThe four works on UNEXPLORED, offer an expansive variety of musical genres while introducing listeners to previously unrecorded cello repertoire. Premiere recordings of works by Tchaikovsky, Cassadó, Rudnytsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov are presented by cellist Nada Radulovich and pianist Cullan Bryant.
Spectra II
Catalog #: NV6188
Release Date: October 12, 2018
20th Century21st CenturyChamberSolo InstrumentalPianoViolaSPECTRA 2 unveils the works of six composers, each of whom tells a unique, memorable story. First up is Elizabeth R. Austin's B-A-C-HOMAGE, an intricately constructed tribute to the German Baroque composer. Based on Bach's name and his "Air on G" respectively, the first and second movement reflect upon the clarity of his work through the lens of Austin's decidedly modern tonal language.
Clarinet Quintets
Catalog #: NV6193
Release Date: November 9, 2018
20th CenturyRomanticChamberClarinetFluteViolinThe Phoenix Ensemble’s latest album JOHANNES BRAHMS / ELLIOTT CARTER: CLARINET QUINTETS is, of course, masterful. The Phoenix Ensemble now looks back on almost three decades of being a fixture in the national chamber music scene, focusing on performances and recordings of 20th- and 21st-century music. Indeed, it may be this particular specialization in complex musical structures that allows the musicians to explore Brahms' late quintet with the previously unheard thoroughness and careful reconnaissance displayed on this album.
Yes… It’s A Thing!
Catalog #: NV6225
Release Date: April 26, 2019
20th CenturyChamberFluteGuitarThe long-awaited release from the chamber ensemble Duo Sequenza, YES…IT’S A THING!, includes works by five critically acclaimed contemporary composers. David Noon is one of the most prolific composers in the U.S.; Jerry Owen’s numerous achievements include two Pulitzer Prize nominations; Jorge Muñiz has had his music performed by chamber ensembles, chorales and orchestras throughout the world; Marc Mellits is one of the leading American composers of his generation and one of the most performed and recorded living composers in the United States; and Amin Sharifi’s recent works have been performed in the United States, Europe, and his native Iran.