• Songs for a New Century

    Catalog #: NV6623

    Release Date: May 3, 2024

    21st Century
    Romantic
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Cello
    Piano
    Violin

    The singing quality of string instruments ties together SONGS FOR A NEW CENTURY, a program featuring both world premiere recordings of new music commissioned for the artists and world premiere recordings of masterpieces by Mendelssohn. The program opens with a set of Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words, beginning with the Opus 109 written by the composer for cello and piano. It continues with a set of arrangements for cello and piano, some recorded for the first time, by the 19th century cellist Alfredo Piatti, a personal friend of Mendelssohn’s upon whose cello Jonathan Miller plays. Gabriela Lena Frank’s Operetta for violin and cello, the composer writes, expands upon Mendelssohn’s concept of the “song without words,” creating opera without words that evokes scenes and characters through singing music for the duo of violin (Lucia Lin) and cello. Scott Wheeler’s second cello sonata, Songs Without Words, was inspired by Miller’s singing cello tone. Finally, Judith Weir’s Three Chorales for cello and piano meditate on religious poetry, departing from hymn texts –– and in the third Chorale, a melody from Hildegard of Bingen –– in a triptych that evokes the human condition.

  • Ballades & Other Musings

    Catalog #: NV6619

    Release Date: May 3, 2024

    21st Century
    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    American concert pianist Steven Masi explores the depths of Romantic and Impressionist piano literature on BALLADES & OTHER MUSINGS. Emotive, evocative, and deeply stirring, Masi uncovers previously unheard nuances in both Chopin and Debussy, as well as in their contemporary colleague, Sarah Kirkland Snider, whose musical language seamlessly blends with that of her predecessors. The precision in Masi's performance is breathtaking. It lends an extraordinary clarity to works that are, by their inherent nature, wayward and exalted. Still, generous rubato and creativity in pedaling shine in this program, as does Masi's crystal-clear tone.

  • Rachmaninoff

    Catalog #: NV6582

    Release Date: November 3, 2023

    20th Century
    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Pianist Ian Gindes presents a captivating elucidation of Sergei Rachmaninoff's solo piano works on RACHMANINOFF, a new album of discerning artistry. With meticulous care and interpretive insight, Gindes navigates the rich tapestry of Rachmaninoff's compositions, peeling back the layers on their emotional depth and their technical intricacies. The Russian-American composer's signature confluence of opulent chromatic harmonies and classically informed structures is imbued with zest under Gindes' adept touch. Gindes finds an astute balance of lyricism and virtuosity, while his intuitive phrasing enhances the inherent narrative of each of the Preludes and Études-Tableaux. The album is rounded off by a fitting tribute, composed by Jerry Goldsmith and arranged by Jed Distler, honoring Rachmaninoff's influence on Hollywood and jazz.

  • Russian Piano Gems

    Catalog #: NV6576

    Release Date: November 3, 2023

    20th Century
    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    The Slavic conception of time in music is notoriously generous, exuberant even, often expressed by endless heartfelt melodies, which allude to a “broad yearning Russian soul.” RUSSIAN PIANO GEMS introduces listeners to the rich tapestry of Russian classical piano music with all the emotional grandeur it entails. Renowned Russian-born, American pianist Elena Dorozhkina brings to life a selection of works by Mosolov, Glinka, Scriabin, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff with unwavering passion and technical virtuosity. Torrential cascades of thunderous chords alternate with lightning-fast runs, breathless silences intermingle with sweet vulnerability, exaltation and loss are but a hair’s breadth apart. The playing time of these individual pieces might not seem very Russian, but their emotional depth certainly is.

  • Loves Me Not

    Catalog #: NV6526

    Release Date: June 23, 2023

    20th Century
    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Bulgarian-born pianist Kristina Marinova harnesses the healing powers of emotional melodies on LOVES ME NOT, a curated selection of soulful classical piano pieces spanning three centuries, from Bach to Rachmaninoff. Within the album’s tracklist lies an impressive range of works and composers: Gluck, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Scriabin, Tarrega and Satie, to name a few. The compositions are united by their melancholic themes (often sparked by biographical calamity), but like an acorn that falls from the crown of a tree, they bear within themselves a seed of hope, a new beginning.

  • Schubert Late Works Volume 1

    Catalog #: NV6505

    Release Date: March 24, 2023

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Following his 2019 Navona Records release BRAHMSIANA, pianist Steven Masi returns with a full program of piano works by composer Franz Schubert on SCHUBERT LATE WORKS. Lauded by critics for his masterful touch and dynamic style, Masi capitalizes on the unrivaled emotive power of solo piano throughout this album, drawing out a voice from the instrument that is profoundly human. Follow him on this journey through Schubert’s works to experience a well-balanced blend of virtuosic artistry and a razor-sharp precision.

  • Folk Themes

    Catalog #: NV6495

    Release Date: February 3, 2023

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Armenian pianist Kariné Poghosyan dazzles with a riveting selection of vibrantly passionate piano music based on folk motifs of five different cultures on FOLK THEMES. Never before has there been a juxtaposition of the works of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (half British, half Sierra-Leonese), Edvard Grieg (Norwegian), Komitas (Armenian) and Franz Liszt (largely Hungarian), and upon listening to FOLK MUSIC, one can't help but wonder why. Despite the composers' respective idiosyncrasies, all pieces share the same inherent tenderness, fire, and zest for life: and Poghosyan isn't shy to show it, both in the profundity of fragile sentiment and in fireworks of exuberant virtuosity.

  • Marta, The Tempest

    Catalog #: NV6479

    Release Date: February 3, 2023

    20th Century
    Romantic
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Guitar
    Piano

    Every pianist makes a piece their own, adding flourishes and signature accents, but Marta Brankovich takes artistic interpretation to a new level. Leveraging her passion and irreplicable touch on the piano, the black swan of piano conjures an unforgettable storm on MARTA, THE TEMPEST. This long-awaited exploratory deep-dive into the classical canon delivers fresh interpretations of works by Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Kaufman, Jirásek, and Webber, complete with a solo piano composition by Brankovich herself that offers an inside look into her artistic emergence. Weaving themes of adversity, opposing forces, and oneness with a profoundly emotive approach, Brankovich delivers a powerful program in this Navona Records release.

  • Amplify

    Catalog #: NV6456

    Release Date: October 28, 2022

    21st Century
    Romantic
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Flute
    Piano
    String Quartet

    Globally recognized for its unique radio programming, innovative collaborations, and community outreach, All Classical Portland presents AMPLIFY, a response to the industry’s inequities in classical music recordings. The works of five contemporary composers are brought to light in this album, each infused with recollections of stories, cities, and movements that have made an impact along the artists’ journey. As the 1,000th album brought to life by parent organization PARMA Recordings, this important Navona Records release marks a monumental achievement in highlighting voices in classical music, and is a step in helping to change America’s playlist.

  • Eclectic Sounds

    Catalog #: NV6460

    Release Date: October 28, 2022

    Classical
    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    What do Beethoven, Bartók and Bulgaria's national composer Vladigerov have in common? This is the question posed by Bulgarian pianist Alexander Tchobanov on his new album ECLECTIC SOUNDS - and what appears to be a harmless question soon turns into a mighty quest.

  • Textures In Classics

    Catalog #: NV6448

    Release Date: August 12, 2022

    Classical
    Romantic
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Oboe
    Piano

    TEXTURES IN CLASSICS from renowned pianist and music scholar Sang-Hie Lee explores the rich musical possibilities offered by the piano. To do so, Lee performs works from some of the seminal composers in Western music including Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms. The album captures Lee’s unique pianism at the height of her maturity as an artist. While contemporary performers often place an outsized emphasis on virtuosic technical skill, Lee’s performances examine the notion of texture in piano music; this ranges from the clean, crisp soundscape of Mozart’s early pianoforte to Beethoven’s exacting technique and lush harmonies. There is little doubt that TEXTURES IN CLASSICS will cement Lee’s legacy as a scholarly-artistic pianist.

  • Moments Musicaux

    Catalog #: NV6442

    Release Date: July 8, 2022

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Navona Records presents MOMENTS MUSICAUX, a unique program of solo piano repertoire performed by pianist Antoinette Perry. Captured live from USC Thornton’s Alfred Newman Auditorium, these pieces celebrate the works of German, Austrian, Russian, and American composers, intermingling cultures through various compositional styles. When it comes to Perry's artistic ability, Germaine Vadi of Les Affiches de Grenoble et du Dauphiné put it best: “One felt oneself to be in the presence of a great pianist — an absolute art of nuance, her subtle touch, and finally her perfect musical understanding, which permits her to assimilate the music of all cultures."

  • (Re)Creation

    Catalog #: NV6423

    Release Date: October 14, 2022

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    (RE)CREATION from Navona Records and pianist Marko Stuparević is centered on the acts of creation and re-creation, observed through three piano sonatas of three Russian composers: all pianists, contemporaries, and representatives of some of the most notable works of 20th century Russian piano music. Performed by the award-winning pianist, each sonata is rich with advanced compositional techniques and the individual ideologies of their composers, crafted with cyclical forms representing the circle of life. The works of Sergei Rachmaninoff, Alexander Scriabin, and Nikolai Medtner are on full display, born and immortalized into the never-ending life cycle they mirror.

  • Ravel Compared

    Catalog #: NV6401

    Release Date: April 1, 2022

    20th Century
    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Acclaimed pianist Elaine Greenfield dazzles with originality, virtuosity and exuberant tone richness on her album RAVEL COMPARED on Navona Records. The French composer's works are brilliantly analyzed and brought to novel clarity with Greenfield's ingenious idea of recording the same repertoire twice, on two very different pianos – and juxtaposing them on this two-disc album. The first disc presents Ravel's music on an 1893 Erard from Paris, the same make and model as the composer's personal piano, from which Greenfield coaxes a mellow, full-bodied tone with an almost liquid quality. This rendition is contrasted with a second on an American Ivers & Pond parlor concert grand from 1917, brightly highlighting Ravel's idiosyncratic harmonies with modern, almost contemporary exactitude. Put together, RAVEL COMPARED palpably illustrates the depth of both Greenfield's skill as a performer as well as Ravel's aptitude as a composer – as lively and vivid as perhaps never before.

  • Journey For One

    Catalog #: NV6370

    Release Date: October 22, 2021

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    In the nearly 200 years since its composition for voice and piano, many have tackled Schubert’s Winterreise. Steinway artist Hilary Demske, however, transforms the cycle into a series of works for solo piano on JOURNEY FOR ONE on Navona Records, focusing on the instrument’s poignant ability to represent the original composition’s lyricism and complexity. By freely experimenting with melodic fragments and manipulating the placement and length of gestures—along with translating the meaning of Müller’s poetry to music—Demske adds a fresh, unique perspective to classic repertoire.

  • Virtuoso

    Catalog #: NV6372

    Release Date: October 8, 2021

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Navona Records presents VIRTUOSO, a collection of works by Frederic Chopin performed by piano prodigy Dmitry Ishkhanov. Featured on this album are the pieces Ishkhanov cites as Chopin’s most meaningful: the four Mazurkas of Op. 17, the Nocturne in C sharp minor of Op. 27, and the Etudes of Op. 25, considered by many as one of the most challenging repertoires to master.

  • 4 Rhapsodies

    Catalog #: NV6371

    Release Date: October 8, 2021

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    4 RHAPSODIES from critically-acclaimed pianist Kristina Marinova and Navona Records is a collection of vibrant, dynamic, and technically demanding works for solo piano. The album’s titular piece, Four Rhapsodies op. 11 by early 20th-Century composer Ernst von Dohnányi is rarely performed in concert given the level of musicianship it requires of pianists. Now, its combination of stark drama and dazzling virtuosic passages may be enjoyed by listeners everywhere.

  • Alexander Scriabin: Early Works

    Catalog #: NV6302

    Release Date: August 14, 2020

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Russian composer Alexander Scriabin is known to enthusiasts for his theory of musical colors, innovative piano works that pushed the boundaries of tonal writing, and for his untimely demise brought on by an unsanitary razor blade. American pianist and music professor Russell Hirshfield has now recorded an ambitiously-broad selection of the composer's early works which may well provide a novel talking point.

  • Vytautas Smetona Plays Brahms, Chopin & Smetona

    Catalog #: NV6286

    Release Date: May 22, 2020

    21st Century
    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Exalted and expressive to just the right degree, Ohio-born pianist Vytautas Smetona fuses his American upbringing with his Lithuanian heritage in his recordings of Brahms, Chopin and his own work. His second release on Navona exhibits technical command of the highest order, profound musical understanding and a clarity of interpretation which is seldom heard.

  • Six Sonatas for Solo Violin

    Catalog #: NV6281

    Release Date: April 10, 2020

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Violin

    Acclaimed English violinist Thomas Bowes seems to have a penchant for thoroughness and completion. Known and praised for his complete recording of all J. S. Bach’s sonatas and partitas, the European virtuoso has now taken it upon himself to embark on another quest for totality. This time, it is the six sonatas by Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaÿe (1858-1931), presented on Bowes' new album, EUGÈNE YSAŸE: SIX SONATAS FOR SOLO VIOLIN. As one would expect from Bowes, they are played to passionate perfection.