Catalog

Woodwind Quintet music offers a treasure trove of nuance and emotional depth, with a bright and warm essence that's playful, inviting, and in some instances, exhilarating. Navona Records’ WINDSWEPT series continues its presentation of such works in its third volume. With a fresh line-up of contemporary composers and a decorated modern chamber ensemble, WINDSWEPT VOL III blends abstract musicality with vivid imagery. Stephen Gryč’s Five American Portraits characterizes historical figures through quirky instrumental solos, while John Bilotta’s Brain Freeze, John Carbon’s Woodwind Quintet, and Ferdinando DeSena’s Rebound explore lyrical, whimsical, and modern tonalities. Marilyn Bliss’ The Discovery of Honey celebrates mythic joy and discovery, capturing Bacchus’s exuberance in a lush, dynamic soundscape. Available in Dolby Atmos and as a visual album, these works are brought to life by the celebrated Belfiato Quintet, a beacon of excellence in the world of chamber music.

Experience the humanity and splendor of outer space with DEEP-SKY OBJECTS/STARS, an album of two works for soprano and ensemble by Musiqa. Sebastian Currier’s Deep-Sky Objects, with lyrics from Sarah Manguso’s poetry, reimagines the great Romantic song cycles with electronic sounds and a tale of intergalactic longing. Trevor Weston’s Stars, with lyrics from Robert Hayden’s poetry, ponders the night sky and its profound impact on thought through the ages. Each piece was commissioned by Musiqa, a cutting-edge chamber ensemble at the forefront of contemporary music. The Houston-based group provides a melting pot for artistic collaboration, with a focus on community-oriented productions that highlight our shared experiences as humans.

Internationally-acclaimed pianist Yaroslav Senyshyn demonstrates a breathtaking capability for tenderness and artistic flair on YAROSLAV SENYSHYN PLAYS CHOPIN. These behemoths of Romantic piano literature, widely considered to pose near-impossible technical and emotional challenges to the performer, are fully brought to life and vigorously commanded by Senyshyn's impeccable Ukrainian-school pianism. Many pianists struggle to decide between a pearly, singing tone and powerful dynamics; Senyshyn unites both and makes this formidable feat seem effortless. There is always delicacy, even in chord-heavy fortissimo passages; there is always punch, even in the whisper of a cantabile. Dizzying, exhilarating, and a profoundly enjoyable testament to pianistic excellence.

Mona Lyn Reese composes with a mission: to confront human experiences, both harrowing and hallowing, with unflinching artistry. Her dramatic oratorio CHOOSE LIFE melds Jewish and Christian musical traditions, Holocaust survivor accounts, and scripture into a powerful interfaith memorial. An immediate success, this work filled 1500-seat auditoriums and received spontaneous standing ovations at every concert during its initial season; and it's easy to see why. Reese possesses a rare talent for marrying intricate rhythms and stylistic diversity — klezmer, Gregorian chant, and Anglican anthems — to soaring melodies and emotional depth. Acclaimed nationally and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, this powerhouse of a work moves listeners to reflect, remember, and ultimately — to CHOOSE LIFE.

Few things are as shrouded in mystery as the process behind the conception of an idea — partially because verbal explorations of cognition are seldom fruitful. But where words fail, music steps in to enlighten: and this is the aim of Kevin Bobo's ORIGINS & EXPANSIONS, a philosophical reflection scored for wind ensemble and steelpan. Bobo musically examines the turbulent process of creation, from uncertain beginnings to victorious transformations. ORIGINS & EXPANSIONS evokes the tentative emergence of an idea, winding through obstacles and moments of introspection, and eventually captures the fragile resilience of inspiration forming. It's a cerebral, immersive exploration of existence itself; metaphysical, yes, but also richly narrative.

The name for Bruce Stark's album VIBRANT could not be more aptly chosen: if ever there was the acoustic equivalent of fireworks in solo piano music, this would be it. Interpreted to perfection by Indonesian pianist Isabella Jie, virtuosic sparks fly and rich colors blossom. The apparent formality of Stark's compositions — a sonata, a kind of suite, a set of dances, a toccata — betrays the innovation that lives and breathes within these pieces: there's a similar spirit at play here as in the works of Prokofiev or Takemitsu. The language is tonal, yet never commonplace; but most striking is the level of energy, with a firepower that is off the charts. An exhilarating experience.

Stephen Page saxophone Alexandre Maynegre-Torra piano Saxophonist Stephen Page returns to Navona Records with EARTHLY ROUND, a selection of chamber works that showcase the saxophone's capacity to traverse diverse styles, emotions, and cultural influences. The title piece from composer Miriama Young serves as a poignant musical meditation on [...]

Award-winning choral ensemble Cantori New York presents FOUND AGAIN, a poignant exploration of human connection, self-growth, and collective pursuit of a better world. At once forward-looking and deeply introspective, this collection features three works espousing the power of transformative renewal. Each presents a revised version of an earlier work, offering an opportunity for rediscovery, recentering, and new understanding. The New Amorous World, by Lembit Beecher, reflects on the limitations and possibilities of humankind in a spirited setting of texts by French utopian philosopher Charles Fourier. Beauty by Beauty, by John Rommereim, contrasts with a gentle, inward-looking setting of texts by three-time U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo on themes of courage, spiritual transformation, and of human connection to the earth and to one another. The title track – Found Again, by Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate – presents a second setting of Joy Harjo poems exploring cultural connection, reconciliation, and renewal.

PAS DE TROIS explores the possibilities of unique instrumental combinations for oboe, violin, viola, and piano within the intimacy of chamber music. The title work, Pas de Trois, is a playful yet challenging neo-romantic work featuring Ned Rorem’s lyrical melodies and a tonal language all his own, blending American boldness with French influence. Hans Gál’s Trio for Oboe, Violin, and Viola, Op. 94 is a lush late-Romantic work and an homage to his beloved adopted home, Scotland. The final piece, Dorothy Howell’s Air, Variations and Finale features exquisite, expressive phrasing and intricate interplay between the three solo instruments.

As the third single for composer Michael K. Slayton’s upcoming Navona Records release, SAGE BRUSHES, UNITITLED (Rothko Set) features a reimagining of Slayton’s older piano works, a “transmigration” of their varied essences into an alternative medium. The dark and muted tones of these four “untitled” paintings of Mark Rothko (1903–1970) afforded just the right construct for such an endeavor, allowing each movement to echo with old and new, remembered and forgotten.

Not long ago, the West developed an overwhelming love for all things Korean: cuisine, romance dramas, pop groups. Much less notorious is the emerging Korean scene of serious music composers. Internationally-acclaimed pianist Eun-Hee Park aims to shed light on its abundance with her new release, KOREAN SOUNDSCAPES.

THAT’S A DIFFERENT GROOVE from Marcus Eley presents clarinet works from jazz legends Alvin Batiste, David N. Baker, Yusef Lateef, and Oliver Nelson. Eley deftly reimagines these compositions in a chamber music setting. The album’s unifying theme is “groove,” the term musicians use to describe that elusive feeling of finding the rhythmic sweet-spot. Alvin Batiste’s Swing in the Abstract gives listeners a taste of New Orleans, while Yusef Lateef’s reinterpretation of Brahms invites us to consider new ways of hearing a centuries-old work. Transcending genre boundaries, THAT’S A DIFFERENT GROOVE is a bold, yet nuanced, series of performances spotlighting the jazz clarinet.

It is no secret that John Rommereim harbors an immense love for vocal music. Known for his choral compositions as well as his conducting of choirs, it would be easy to pigeonhole the man — were it not for the existence of his instrumental works. INTO THE STILL HOLLOW juxtaposes both talents, and offers a glimpse at Rommereim's multifarious accomplishments. The variety is astounding. There are intimate lieder, accompanied by piano or an evocative string quartet; a three-part suite for solo guitar; and unconventional duos, one for organ and saxophone, the other for organ and oboe. Stylistically, the pieces walk the fine line between Western tradition and its ritual annihilation. Cerebral, yes, but also impassioned.

It’s a rare treat to hear exceptional recordings of double reed ensembles; no trio could know this better than bassoonist Kristin Wolfe Jensen, oboist Andrew Parker, and pianist Collette Valentine, who’ve accomplished a delightful performance on their new release, MARIE DE GRANDVAL’S GRAND TRIO. A popular composer in her day, de Grandval’s works are given a breath of fresh air, handled delicately in a collaboration with remarkable natural blend. Jensen’s warm treatment of the song-like bassoon passages highlights the elegant pizzicato oboe passages serviced by Parker, the fluttering and dramatic musicality in Valentine’s piano playing tying the ensemble together with a bow.

Composer Kevin Wilt’s TAVERN MUSIC is an evocative collection of chamber works performed by pianist Irena Kofman and the Amernet String Quartet. Wilt’s compositions employ vivid musical color and texture across a variety of styles. The title piece draws on Celtic and Gaelic traditions, blending classical technique with folk-inspired melodies; it emulates the sounds of a jam session in a local pub, with friends and their fiddles gathered around a table sharing a pint. Out in the Storm captures the drama of a South Florida thunderstorm, while Silver Nitrate Reverie is a nostalgic reflection on classic cinema. TAVERN MUSIC is an uniquely inviting collection of chamber works.

Pianist Gerry Bryant returns to Navona Records with THE COMPOSERS VOLUME 2, the long awaited second installment in a series dedicated to amplifying the voices of underrepresented Black classical composers. Bryant breathes fresh air into compositions by Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, Betty Jackson King, L. Viola Kinney, Nathaniel Dett, and S. Coleridge-Taylor in this release. Price’s Fantasy No. 2 for Violin and Piano, arranged by Mark Cargill, carries on her legacy as a pioneering symphonic woman composer. Other highlights include Dett’s Dvořák-inspired pieces and Coleridge-Taylor’s celebrated suite of five pieces for piano. Bonds, Kinney, and King also shine, blending classical forms with Black spirituals and cultural heritage. These compositions, born from resilience and artistry, transcend the prejudice that once obscured them, inviting reverence for their rightful place in the classical tradition.

MOZART COMPLETE SONATAS AND VARIATIONS by Christina Petrowska Quilico and violinist Jacques Israelievitch on Navona Records honors the tenth anniversary of Israelievitch’s death. While enduring late-stage cancer, he rallied his strength to finish these recordings just months before he passed away. The progression from the early sonatas that favor the piano through the later sonatas that highlight the violin is brilliantly captured by these two extraordinary musicians. These performances are a proud entry in Israelievitch’s and Petrowska Quilico’s recorded catalogs and stand as a powerful testament to the human spirit.

SYMPHONY NO. 3 from composer Michael Kurek is a tribute to the history and natural beauty of England. The work is fundamentally Romantic, but is also influenced by Edwardian English music. The composer draws inspiration from personal memories, nature, poetry, and art; “Upon a Walk in the English Countryside,” recalls the composer's emotional reaction to the lush, pastoral beauty of the English countryside. "Stonehenge" reflects the austerity and timelessness of that ancient monument,  while “The Lady of Shalott” nods to Waterhouse’s colorful, pre-Raphaelite depiction of Tennyson’s famous poem. The symphony’s conclusion, “The Major Oak of Sherwood Forest,” celebrates the roughly 1000-year-old tree in Nottinghamshire and is perhaps the most climactic of Kurek’s works.

BALTIC SKETCHES by composer Scott Brickman is a collection of symphonic works inspired by Brickman’s Baltic and Slavic ancestry. The album features his Symphony No. 5, which draws on Latvian folk traditions, including folk dances, songs, and Lutheran liturgical music. It also includes Symphony No. 1, an exploration of neoclassical form influenced by contemporary socio-political events, including military conflict in the Middle East and the climate crisis. Symphony No. 6 for wind ensemble explores textural and timbral color and nods to the Lutheran chorale, In Dulci Jubilo. Blending classical forms with asymmetrical dance meters and folk melodies, Brickman’s BALTIC SKETCHES finds unexpected connections between time-honored traditions.

Saxophonist Adam Estes and pianist Adrienne Park share transcriptions of master works by Beethoven, Chaminade, Burhans, and Saint-Saëns on their LYRICAL BARITONE, VOL. 1. Borrowed from the flute, bassoon, and cello repertoires, this album celebrates this captivating music reimagined for baritone saxophone and piano duo. While the lowest note of the cello and the baritone saxophone is the same, the common playing range isn’t: the cello’s stretches an entire octave further, rendering literal transcriptions fiendishly difficult to play. This considerable challenge seems to pose no difficulty to Estes and Park at all: with great lightness and delicacy, they navigate calmly and confidently through even the most treacherous musical waters. A virtuosic feat and feast.