Daytime & Night Songs
Catalog #: NV6256
Release Date: October 25, 2019
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicCelloGuitarVoiceComposer Mira J. Spektor presents both sensitivity and passion in her new album DAYTIME & NIGHT SONGS. She combines masterful, original compositions with thought-provoking poetry written by a number of artists.
Deep River
Catalog #: NV6650
Release Date: August 16, 2024
20th CenturyFolk MusicChamberVocal MusicStringsVoiceOne might be tempted to think that there is no crossover in music that hasn't been done yet; and thankfully, one would be mistaken. DEEP RIVER presents a vibrant selection of 21 African American spirituals, interpreted by countertenor Michael Walker II and early music consort Alchymy Viols. A curious collaboration? Not at all, according to director Philip Spray. The viol consort's historical purpose was to arrange popular tunes of its day; so it appeared only logical to try this setup on America's first folk songs. It worked. Additional harmonies are provided by a distinctly anachronistic grand harp, and accompaniment by a small field pump organ. The effect is stunning: a music so utterly, distinctly American, one wonders why this hasn't been done before.
Devisadero
Catalog #: NV5849
Release Date: May 1, 2011
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicPianoVoiceWind EnsembleDEVISADERO features the original compositions of New Mexico-based composer Christopher Shultis. Through woodwinds, percussion and piano, Shultis is able to vividly describe the New Mexican wilderness and the significance of its beauty. Shultis' compositions invite the listener to experience not only the sound of the music, but what we see and think, and especially, how we breathe, as well.
Dillinger
Catalog #: NV6525
Release Date: June 23, 2023
21st CenturyVocal MusicLarge EnsembleVoiceDILLINGER: AN AMERICAN ORATORIO from composer Matthew Heap in collaboration with librettist Darren Canady dramatizes the life of notorious Great Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger. Seen alternately as both an enemy of the state and a folk hero, Dillinger’s story is a fitting backdrop to Heap’s nuanced exploration of class warfare and the American Dream. The oratorio focuses on Dillinger’s final days and is presented in a quasi-oratorio setting, much like the opera-oratorio form that Stravinsky used in Oedipus Rex. Despite its historical source material, the music is more relevant than ever, bringing to life the struggles of Americans feeling caught between social strictures and larger economic forces.
Ester, Liberatrice del Popolo Ebreo
Catalog #: NV6629
Release Date: July 26, 2024
BaroqueVocal MusicOrchestraVoiceThe groundbreaking Roman composer Alessandro Stradella’s unjustly neglected oratorio ESTER, LIBERATRICE DEL POPOLO EBREO shines forth in a sparkling new release from Navona Records. Exploring themes of courage, self acceptance, ambition, justice, and power, this piece tells the story of Esther, a timid girl, secret Jew, and Persian Queen, who summons the bravery to save her people from annihilation. While the oratorio derives its narrative from the old testament’s The Book of Esther, this compelling story of a lone woman challenging an oppressive tyrant is sure to strike a chord, resonating powerfully for modern listeners as it recalls many ongoing conflicts in our world today.
Folksongs
Catalog #: NV6546
Release Date: August 25, 2023
20th CenturyChamberVocal MusicGuitarVoiceIn FOLKSONGS from Duo Apollon, soprano Anastasia Malliaras and classical guitarist Aaron Haas conjure up portrayals of folksongs from around the world, traversing the Greek islands, Spain, England, and France. With this collection of popular songs, reimagined by 20th century composers, Duo Apollon invites us into the intimate, bare, and familiar sound of the guitar and voice duo. Join the duo on a musical journey into compositions by Ravel, de Falla, Britten, and Seiber, across cultures and languages, and into the heart of folklife.
Four Quartets of Songs & Arias
Catalog #: NV5936
Release Date: November 1, 2013
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicPianoVoiceFOUR QUARTETS OF SONGS & ARIAS, the debut Navona release by composer Roger Bourland, takes us on a touching journey by way of works for voice (Juliana Gondek) and piano (William Lumpkin). The album features four song cycles, each a four song set depicting a range of emotion and feeling.
Full Fathom Five
Catalog #: NV5996
Release Date: April 14, 2015
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicVoiceFULL FATHOM FIVE, the fifth offering in Navona Records' The Shakespeare Concerts Series, takes the story of The Tempest, from the shipwrecked crew and magical spirits to the imprisoned servants and their questions of identity, and presents a variety of works from the 18th to the 21st centuries that set texts and depict themes from Shakespeare's play.
Goddesses
Catalog #: NV5973
Release Date: October 14, 2014
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicVoiceGODDESSES is the third offering in Navona Records' The Shakespeare Concerts Series, which presents several works by composer Joseph Summer from his collection of settings of Shakespearean scenes, sonnets, and soliloquies, Oxford Songs.
Horizon
Catalog #: NV6669
Release Date: October 25, 2024
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirPianoVoiceIf one could have recorded an ancient culture, how would it have sounded? Croatian conductor Antoaneta Radočaj-Jerković and two all-female choirs under her lead pursue this question. The result is HORIZON, a haunting performance of the eponymous work by contemporary composer Dalibor Bukvić. HORIZON is meant to evoke the ambiance of the prehistoric Vučedol culture, which flourished between 3000 and 2200 B.C. in what is now (mostly) Croatia. And in this endeavor, it succeeds with unsettling precision: Bukvić's work and the choirs' impeccable performance conjure images of hermetic settlements, starry skies, pagan rituals, and an ever-present consciousness of impending extinction. An ethereal experience.
I Love You Like Spain
Catalog #: NV6357
Release Date: July 23, 2021
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicPianoVoiceMonika Gurak certainly is no ordinary songwriter: not just because of her academic background, but also because of her love of foreign cultures. Her linguistic fluency in English, Spanish, and Polish heavily influences her work on I LOVE YOU LIKE SPAIN from Navona Records: the songs are sung in English, but the music comes with a generous helping of both Iberian exoticism as well as Polish sensibility.
I Wanna Be Ready
Catalog #: NV6527
Release Date: June 9, 2023
21st CenturyLiturgicalVocal MusicPianoVoiceFew things have informed and inspired as much music as humanity's search for God. Acclaimed baritone, arranger, and conductor Courtney Carey explores the relation between the worldly and the divine on I WANNA BE READY, a set of 12 spirituals arranged for different instrumentations — and each piece packs a punch. Six of them are songs for a solo voice (soprano or baritone) and piano, and Carey, being a trained vocalist himself, deploys this setup to its fullest effect, allowing for powerful brilliance. The other half are choral pieces, which are furnished with extra layers of depth and vigor by the splendidly expressive Concert Chorale ensemble. Even individually, these spirituals would be remarkable; together, they are a tour de force.
Ignacio Jerusalem
Catalog #: NV6274
Release Date: May 22, 2020
BaroqueLiturgicalOrchestralVocal MusicOrchestraVoiceLovers of Early Music are in for a huge treat with IGNACIO JERUSALEM: MASS IN G, a tribute commemorating the 250th anniversary of the composer's death. The little-known, Italian-born, galant creator, who spent much of his colorful life in Mexico, receives long-deserved attention from the Chicago Arts Orchestra under the baton of Mexican-American conductor Javier José Mendoza.
Joy, Too
Catalog #: NV6642
Release Date: August 2, 2024
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicPianoVoiceMusic about grief is a bit like medicine: most people don't reach for it until they find themselves in need. The Vertex Duo, composed of mezzo-soprano Kristin Gornstein and pianist Jeremy Chan, might sympathize, having created just this medicine for the soul in the wake of some of their darkest biographical hours. The result is JOY, TOO, a curiously wonderful collection of melancholy songs — so lyrical and beautiful, one doesn't have to be sad to want to listen to it. In case of misfortune however, it may well be sanity-saving: with its stirring melodies and poignant lyrics, JOY, TOO serves as a testament to the universal experience of sorrow, offering solace and understanding to those grappling with its impact.
Joys Abiding
Catalog #: NV6409
Release Date: February 11, 2022
20th CenturyRomanticVocal MusicPianoVoiceNavona Records presents JOYS ABIDING, an album of vocal duets by female composers including previously unpublished duets by British-American composer Rebecca Clarke, the text of which inspired the album title. The extensive track list of duets from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods is performed by Dana Zenobi, soprano, Oliver Worthington, baritone, Chuck Dillard, piano/harpsichord, and David Murray, double bass. JOYS ABIDING aims to elevate the important work of female composers who have historically been excluded from the male-dominated classical duet canon.
Kleemation
Catalog #: NV5884
Release Date: October 1, 2012
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicFlutePianoVoiceKLEEMATION AND OTHER WORKS is the debut Navona release from Rockport-based composer Elizabeth Vercoe, featuring six of the composer's works for small ensemble and solo instruments. The title piece, Kleemation for flute and piano, draws its inspiration from five drawings by Swiss artist Paul Klee. Through her expertly crafted music, Vercoe effectively captures the moods and styles of the visual elements from which she works, ranging from wry humor to anxiety about the state of our world.
Lord, How Come Me Here?
Catalog #: NV6408
Release Date: February 11, 2022
21st CenturyFolk MusicLiturgicalVocal MusicPianoVoiceOn LORD, HOW COME ME HERE?, composer Shawn Okpebholo turns the mirror of history on today’s society with his own work and a reimagined collection of spirituals by enslaved Africans and American folk hymns that draws upon music from the past to critique contemporary racial injustices in the United States and around the globe. An ensemble of mezzo-soprano (J’Nai Bridges), baritone (Will Liverman), piano (Paul Sánchez), cello, and flute poignantly bring Okpebholo’s music to life, from hopeful anthems celebrating community to laments between a mother and her Creator and hymns celebrating faith and hope over hate and fear.
Maternity / Ulysses, Home
Catalog #: NV6258
Release Date: November 15, 2019
21st CenturyVocal MusicOrchestraString QuartetVoiceMulti-award-winning composer Anthony Brandt makes his Navona Records debut with MATERNITY / ULYSSES, HOME. The album includes two very distinct compositions with equally distinct inspirations.
Michael Murray: Percipience
Catalog #: NV5994
Release Date: April 14, 2015
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicVoiceThe history of setting literary text in music is a considerable one, from Schubert's Lieder to Benjamin Britten's Serenade to art songs of the 21st century. Composer Michael Murray presents four song cycles on PERCIPIENCE, all of which emphasize the deep connection between poetry and music as varying means of expression that can reveal different facets of the same idea.
Modern Muses
Catalog #: NV6377
Release Date: October 22, 2021
21st CenturyChamberVocal MusicCelloVoiceMODERN MUSES is an entirely new presentation of captivating music in its first commercial recording and release, showcasing works composed by women and works representing female perspective. Inspired by Greek and Roman mythology, Josefien Stoppelenburg’s arresting soprano is juxtaposed with Jean Hatmaker’s poetic cello in this recording, fostering a rich musical dichotomy that blends together in a refreshingly powerful way.