Naxos of America Staff Picks for 2009: Part III

To wrap up our three part Staff Picks blog, Collin Rae (one of our Label Managers and Manager of Special Projects) brings us his top picks from Naxos and Distributed Labels. We hope you've enjoyed reading about our picks from 2009!

These are my top picks (how I see it today anyway) from within the Naxos Family.

In no particular order:

Carl Rutti – Requiem
Naxos 8572317
Unexpected, deep, dark, beautiful, jarring. I’m so pleased I took the time to check this recording out.



Krzysztof Penderecki – Utrenja
Naxos 8572031
(Antoni Witt) –When I hear Antoni Witt’s recording of Utrenja on Naxos I thought to myself “This is a perfect and important version of this work”, the Grammy committee apparently agrees with me.


Michael Daugherty – Metropolis Symphony
Naxos 8559635
One of my favorite projects all around. This is the pieces second release on CD (the Argo recording while excellent is long out of print) and in my opinion it is the superior of the two. Michael is not only a joy to work with and talk to but I’m also happy to count him as a friend.

Anonymous
Naxos 8578044-45
I’m no expert on Early music BUT I do count it as a genre / period that I LOVE. I have to pick this title for the simple fact that it was amazing fun to research and put together AND I though it came out quite nice.


Stravinsky - The Ballets (box set of Robert Craft Recordings)
Naxos 8506009
Stravinsky + Ballet + Robert Craft = ESSENTIAL.




Penderecki - Master Works of the 20th Century Box: The Choral Works of Krzysztof Penderecki
Naxos 8505224
Essential recordings of essential works of an essential composer. Of course Utrenja is included in this set.



Hamerik – Complete Symphonies
Dacapo 6200002
Hamerik was the Danish Tchaik! Awesome stuff here.




Villa-Lobos – Complete String Quartets
Dorian 90904
A long over due collection of these now historic recordings.




Rautavaara – 12 Concertos
Ondine 1156-2Q
There is no underestimating the importance of Rautavaara and these works.




Else Marie Pade – Aquarellen uber das Meer & Illustrations
Dacapo 8226544
A true electronic music pioneer this release is hopefully just one of many more to come. Eye opening.



Terry Riley - In C Remixed (Terry Riley)
Innova INN758
The Grand Valley State New Music Ensemble continues their journey into recording essential versions of modern masterpieces. This package features not only a wonderful rendition of the piece itself but also a full CD of remixes that are equally impressive.

Various - Seized By Sweet Desire – musica Ficta – Bo Holten
Naxos 8572265
Another early music gem that hit quite unexpectedly. “Singing nuns and ladies from the Cathedral to the Bed Chambers” ….kinda says it all!



Various - Musica Hispanica – Flautando Koln
Ars Musici 232380
Another early music collection that hit my ears in a wonderful way, this is the music of Spain circa 1400 – 1600. WONDERFUL.



Alfred Schnittke - Film Music Vol. 4
C5002
Truly a both modern and post modern composer Schnittke wrote some of the most outrageous, gorgeous and compelling film music you’re ever likely to hear. Mesmerizing.


Helmut Newton: Frames From the Edge
ArtHaus 100686
This is the only DVD I’ll mention for it is a documentary on one of my personal heroes / inspiration. Newton was an image maker like no other, his works always blurred the lines between commercial fashion / erotic / and fetish imagery. He was a master. Watching him work in this film while gaining more insight into the person that he was …well this is DVD is indispensible to anyone interested in his brand of photography.

Naxos of America Staff Picks for 2009: Part II

Here is Part II of the three part series on our Staff Picks. 2009 was an incredible year for music all over the world! We wanted to share our top picks from Naxos and our family of Distributed Labels with you. Many of us couldn't pick just one or even 5 top albums, so the list is pretty extensive!

Randall (Licensing & Biz Dev Manager)








Kelly (ePress & eMarketing)







Katie (Digital/Marketing/Label Manager)

Low and behold, here are my top 10 classical records from 2009…in no particular order.

Movement three of the Flute Concerto is quite possibly one of my favorite pieces of music ever. Period. Thank you to my colleague, Matt Whittier for introducing me. Oh yes, and amazing flute playing by Sharon Bezaly.




Marc Minkowski (and Naïve) can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned. The sound is crystal clear and the performance of these three very different celebrations of St. Cecilia (the patron saint of music) is astounding.




What is most interesting about this piece of music is the history and the political/ religious undertones (or perhaps, overtones). Although not one of Bernstein’s best-known, it is by far his most enormous, calling for a full orchestra, multiple choruses AND a marching band! Alsop’s interpretation has such meaning as she was a student of Bernstein and she did an incredible job of putting it all together…definitely something I’d love to see in person one of these days.

One of many interesting releases from the NYC-based New Amsterdam label this year. Incredible interpretations of works by the likes of Nico Muhly, Judd Greenstein and Marcos Balter. Favorite tracks on this disc: 2, 4 and 6.




A beautifully performed Symphony No. 2 by the French composer Paul Marie Theodore Vincent D’Indy. This is the second volume in this new series from the Chandos label featuring the Iceland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rumon Gamba.




Paul Hillier and Ars Nova Copenhagen are both expert interpreters of early music. Schutz, although seemingly lesser-known than Bach or Monteverdi, is regarded as one of the most important composers of the 17th century and this Dacapo recording of his St. Luke’s Passion is magnificent.



All I can say is that the Schnittke Viola Concerto, in usual Schnittke fashion, is bizarre, but I love it for that reason. Dramatic and unpredictable, it certainly is no easy task to perform and David Aaron Carpenter does it well. As for the Elgar, I concur with Sean Hickey in saying that “DAC proves the Elgar concerto works well on an instrument held under the chin.”


This Beethoven cycle was completed at the end of 2008 and has been hailed as one of the best of all-time. I would have to agree. With so many recordings of the Beethoven symphonies out there, it is difficult to pick any one that stands out from the rest. Given the BIS label’s incredibly high standards for sound quality and Osmo Vanska’s interpretation, this is without a doubt, one of the very best.


These Sarasate violin works are so much fun to listen to and it is obvious in his performance that Gil is very passionate about this music. If you don’t believe me, watch this lovely viral video the Canary team put together for promotion of this record - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQgjmMVqUPw



Michael Daugherty is one of America’s foremost living, active composers. This world premier recording of works commissioned by the DSO is undoubtedly one of the most exciting releases from Naxos this year. This was the second of two Daugherty releases on the label in 2009. The other was his Metropolis Symphony with the Nashville Symphony and Giancarlo Guererro.



Erica (Exec Sales)

As one of the most famous fashion designers of all time, Coco Chanel transformed the fashion industry with her controversial silhouettes and introduction of costume jewelry into daily wear. Featuring commentary from Karl Lagerfeld, head of the fashion house today, this DVD provides an in-depth look at the development and inspiration behind the fashion house that continues to lead the industry today. A must-see for all fashionistas!



Paula (Press and Media)
























Anne (NML Customer Support & Sales)

Wow! Amazing recording!






I got to re-live the concert experience on the CD. I thought it was a breath-taking concert, and I was SO excited to hear it on CD.





It's amazing how many note-worthy modern composers were born in 1938! I had no idea! I learned so much from this CD. I enjoyed the selection of works and interviews with several of the composers.











Elysha (Production/Label Manager)


















Ben (Graphic Designer)








Lea (Sr. Marketing Manager/Label Manager)

James MacMillan, 7 Last Words from the Cross
The first time I heard this recording, I stopped everything I was doing, listened, and wept. I was immediately lost in the music. The music is at times thorny and uncomfortable, and at other moments incredibly beautiful. It is not always an easy listen, but it is worth it. I feel that this is the best setting of the Seven Last Words that I have heard. Whether you are spiritual or agnostic, this disc is worth an hour of your time.

Bernstein: Mass
I never really liked this piece of music, so I was a little leery of listening to the full work when it came out this late summer. What I heard on the recording by Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra was revelatory! Their performance forced me to look at the piece in a new way, and I can now say that thanks to this recording I appreciate and admire Bernstein’s Mass.

Lauridsen: Choral Works
For an American choral singer like me, listening to Lauridsen is like coming home, putting on some warm slippers, and snuggling up to a cozy fire. I looked forward to enjoying some of my favorites of Lauridsen’s pieces when I heard about this release. I was not disappointed at all; since the Elora Festival Singers are one of the finest choral ensembles around…this is a stunning recording!

Raymond (Podcasts, Radio, NML)
















Janet (NaxosDirect/Interactive Marketing)

Sting drew me to this DVD, but the Schumanns’ triumphant and tragic love story, and the music they composed during their time together, which so beautifully and painfully conveyed aurally what even their eloquent words could not, tops my list for 2009 releases. I was moved to tears, and I’m not ashamed to say it. How could one ever get consumed by Twilight when real love stories like the one between Robert and Clara Schumann exist?



The Hot Club of San Francisco’s holiday album. It’s hip, man.






While I haven’t listened to all of them, I listened to the Jane Austen biography, and am finishing up Northanger Abbey as of this post. With a 45-minute commute, these AudioBook CDs have become treasured friends. I am always amazed at the talent Naxos AudioBooks gets to narrate their classic releases, and Juliet Stevenson is no exception. She is an accomplished actress of stage and screen, and delivers captivating performances on these discs.

William (Audio Books/Marketing Manager)








Taylor (Interactive Marketing)

I am a huge fan of choral music, and a huge fan of Lauridsen. The Elora Festival Singers defintiely do his works justice.





Build is really cool! It's one of my favorites to come out of New Amsterdam. The strings are raw and Matt McBane (the composer) fuzes jazz and classical together. He's also not afraid to use a drum set to add an additional layer. Overall, it's an easy way to get into new classical music.



The Vivaldi Series is pretty amazing. The artwork on the album covers is just gorgeous, and Farnace is a lot of fun to listen to.





The KZ Musik series has an incredible wealth of history behind it. It was fascinating listening to the pieces and wondering how in the world anything of beauty survived in concentration camps. The pieces are haunting and absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend checking out one or two of the series.



This was one of my first blu-ray audio experiences, and it was unreal. I live with a guy and he (of course) has surround sound. The aural experience was something I had never experienced. I closed my eyes and sat in the middle of the room, and completely forgot I was in my house. The harp music was beautiful, and one of the coolest things about the 2L releases, is the booklet. It contains a diagram of where each instrument was during the recording, and which speaker that instrument is coming out of. You need at least 1 blu-ray audio disc in your collection, especially if you have a blu-ray player and surround!

Darwin in a Nutshell was a really interesting listen during car rides to and from work. It provided incredible insight into one of the greatest thinkers of modern science. Defintiely a great addition to my audio book library.




Hansel & Gretel is my new favorite opera. The set design, costuming, and casting is all perfect. The expressions on all the singer's faces are perfect. You don't even have to have subtitles to understand what's going on onstage! It's really great. Again, the blu-ray is incredible. The picture is perfect and the audio is amazing. Probably not suitable for kids though.





It's Tan Dun's Water Concerto - and it's amazing. The kinds of sounds he can create from water instruments is amazing.








Benvenuto Cellini is my second favorite opera! This is the coolest, hippest version of Benvenuto Cellini complete with helicopters, robots, explosions, fireworks, dueling, partying and monks. I especially love how they incorporated technology into the opera.






I am usually not a documentary lover, but this one is especially good. We get to see the life of a traveling, performing classical musician as he hits the road on a train. The fact that you see him playing on the train, then next in a concert hall is pretty cool. He also has incredible insight into his own soul that he talks about. It's a pretty amazing documentary, filled with beautiful music and an interesting story.

Naxos of America Staff Picks of 2009: Part I

This is the first part of a three-part series on the "Staff Picks of 2009" lists! I know - we should've stuck to just 1 list, but there's just so much good music. The first part is from our National Sales Manager, Sean Hickey. His comments about releases are below!
-Taylor

I had the rather naïve idea of listing a few of my favorite recordings from Naxos and our many distributed labels, released throughout the final year of the ought decade. But as I began to write, I realized that this would be an enormous list. In short, it’s a great time to be a fan of recorded classical music. Never before have we had this kind of choice of recordings and repertoire, nor have we had the many ways of consuming music that we now enjoy. Below are some of what I consider to be the very best. I urge others to comment and add their favorites as well.

Bernstein – Mass
Naxos 8559622-23
I will admit that I was certainly never a fan of Lenny’s most controversial piece. I remember not making heads or tails of it in college, determining that it was slightly more interesting than Andrew Lloyd Webber. The amazing Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony have – to use an obvious pun – made me a convert of this moving piece, a quest for spirituality in the modern world.


Schmidt – Symphony No. 2, Fuga Solemnis
Naxos 8570589
A sonically spectacular release from a composer I’ve learned to love over the years. The Fuga Solemnis is an unknown gem and can test the limits of one’s speakers as well.




Daugherty – Fire and Blood
Naxos 8559372
Extremely proud to have the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as part of the Naxos catalog. I spent my formative years attending their concerts and worked there for a time in college. This disc of thrilling Michael Daugherty works comes packaged with the Diego Rivera mural that I also grew up with, on family visits to the Detroit Institute of Arts.


Andy Teirstein – Open Crossings
Naxos 8559617
Andy is a good friend and fellow member of the New York Composers Circle. I will express a bit of professional jealousy here, as Andy has found ingenious ways of combining folk and art music, something I’ve tried to do in mine. Also, who can claim to have studied with both Leonard Bernstein and Pete Seeger? A wonderful disc.


Adamo – Late Victorians
Naxos 8559258
The title track to this fine recording is a deeply moving “tribute to the living and a memorial to the dead”, the subject of which is the AIDS epidemic, especially in its early years as it took lives and decimated neighborhoods in San Francisco. The piece succeeds on so many levels and the listener is left exhausted by the end of this shattering piece.


Strauss – Orchestral Works
Naxos 8572041
Joann Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic are in fine form in this glorious recording of Strauss works. This may be their best recording yet.





Scriabin – Piano Music
Naxos 8570412
The Naxos debut release of pianist Xiayin Wang, in my opinion truly one of the music gifted instrumentalists performing today and on her way to a major concert and recording career.




Webern – Orchestral and Vocal Music
Naxos 8557531
If there’s a single-disc overview of one of the century’s most original composers, then this is the one to have.





Ginastera – String Quartets
Naxos 8570780
The quartets of Alberto Ginastera are, in my opinion, some of the most thrilling chamber works of the 20th century. This disc has reignited my passion for the music of this original Argentine.




Schoenberg – Robert Craft Edition
Naxos 8505223
An incredible box that brings together the many Craft recordings on Naxos, an excellent overview of the composer.





Janacek – Suites from Operas Vol. 2
Naxos 8570556
In truth, I could have put any of the three volumes of this enterprising series on the list. Peter Breiner’s thoughtful arrangement are a great introduction to Janacek’s entirely original soundworld, and without all that singing.




Korngold – Violin Concerto
Naxos 8570791
The latest release from violinist Philippe Quint is stunning. It’s also now Grammy-nominated.





D’Indy – Orchestral Works Vol. 2
Chandos 10514
My colleague Paula used the word “ravishing” to describe the works on this fine disc, and I can think of no better.





Variations on America
Chandos 10489
A total delight, an organ romp through some wonderful American music including Ives’ immortal gem.





Debussy – Complete Piano Music Vol. 5
Chandos 10545
Critics went mad over Bavouzet in 2009 and they surely got it right. His Debussy series has renewed my interest in the composer’s entirely original piano oeuvre.





Hartmann – Simplicius Simplicimus
BR Klassiks 403571900301
This is one of those pieces that has escaped me thus far and it’s a shame as it’s an entirely original opera with shades of Weill, Bernstein, vaudeville and music hall.




CSO Mahler – Symphony No. 2
CSO Resound 901914
Perhaps this won’t unseat some of the classic Mahler recordings from Walter or Bernstein, by Haitink shows the Chicago Symphony in stellar form in this new recording.




David Aaron Carpenter – Elgar/Schnittke
Ondine 1153-2
I was even more impressed at the violist’s debut at Le Poisson Rouge this fall. He proves that the Elgar concerto works well on an instrument held under the chin.





Rautavaara – 12 Concertos
Ondine 1156-2Q
As far as I’m concerned, this set is an absolute must-have for anyone interested in contemporary music of any kind, as it shows the incredible compositional opulence of Finland’s greatest living composer.




Aurelio de la Vega – Orchestral Works
NorthSouth 1051
Here’s one you missed this year. Pick it up.






Porter – Complete Viola Works
Dorian 90911
The debut disc from violist Elsha Nelson is a great one and all of these works were new to me. Hailing from a town called North Pole (no joke), she could one day be the second most newsworthy woman in the state of Alaska. I would be happier if she were first.



Villa-Lobos – Complete String Quartets
Dorian 90904
It’s great to have all of these works together. None is exactly a masterpiece and the composer certainly had a penchant for hurried rambling, but there is some fine music here nonetheless.




Bach – b minor Mass
Naïve V5145
Andy Doe from itunes called this one of the most extraordinary recordings of this work. Of all time that is. I can’t say I disagree. This one voice to a part approach displays exceptional clarity and dynamic range and Naïve’s beautiful presentation is a bonus.



Hamerik – Complete Symphonies
Dacapo 6200002
A wonderfully gifted Danish composer long associated with the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, this brings together all of this immensely tuneful and dramatic symphonies.




Norgard – Symphonies
Dacapo 6220547
Two absolutely gorgeous symphonies from Denmark’s most celebrated living composer (arguably), and some of this very best work on record.





Lefevre – Clarinet Quintets
Tudor 7136
Never heard of this guy? Neither had I, until I listened to this very pleasurable disc.





Other notable releases:

Joseph Bertolozzi – Bridge Music (Delos)
Penderecki – Utrenja (Naxos)
Ge Ganru – Fall of Baghdad (Naxos)
Haydn – Complete Piano Sonatas (Naxos)
James MacMillan – Seven Last Words (Naxos)
Daron Hagen – Shining Brow (Naxos)
Huang Ruo – To the Four Corners (Naxos)
Szymanowski – Harnasie (Naxos)
Vivaldi Four Seasons arranged for piano – (Naxos)
Stokowski – Bach Transcriptions Vol. 2 (Naxos)
Carl Rutti – Requiem (Naxos)
Synergy: Music for Wind Band (Naxos Wind Band Classics)
Gabriel Prokofiev – Concerto for Turntables & Orchestra (Nonclassical)
Devienne – Bassoon Sonatas (ATMA)
Weinberg – String Quartets (CPO)
Steven Hartke – Horse with the Lavender Eye (Chandos)
Vivaldi – Farnace (Naïve)
Ute Lemper – Between Yesterday and Today (Chameleon)

Oliver Cromwell award for cultural imperialism:

Elgar – The Crown of India (Chandos)
Though it contains some glorious music, the narration will make anyone wince. Hard to believe that the English, even at the apex of their influence, could have stomached this kind of imperialist propaganda.

-Sean

Does Radio Limit Today's Audiences?

I love radio. No really, I do! I listen to NPR and several different Nashville FM stations. The airwaves here are mostly filled with country, but we do have a smattering of other genres. The real question is, since radio moved to specific formats (rock, country, christian, etc.) are we too limited in our listening choices?

My Dad attributes his wide-variety of musical taste to the AM station he grew up listening to in Lufkin, Texas. It played everything from classical to rock and roll. Sting spoke about the same issue in a recent interview post-Twin Spirits screening with Elliott Forrest of New York City's WQXR-FM. (Read excerpts on People.com).

In today's culture, the most cross-over that happens is the occasional christian to pop or hip-hop to rock. It's actually kind of sad, because those "cross-over" songs have multiple places they could fit in, so it isn't true crossover in my mind. For example, have you ever heard a Hindi-pop song on an Alternative Rock station? I don't want to be boxed in to hearing just one type of music, and the genre thing feels like a marketing tool used to more easily sell product to a specific group of consumers.

What do you think? If you heard a classical piece (a la New Amsterdam/Nonclassical/Innova/Cantalope) along side a rock song (a la Universal/EMI/Sony/Warner Brothers), would you be annoyed, or would you dig hearing something you might not otherwise hear?

Jewish Influence on Classical Music

I am a Christian and have always loved the tradition of Holy Music in the Church. There are so many great hymns and chants that to name my top 5 would even be hard. That being said, I was never really exposed to any Jewish traditions until I was in college in Miami. We all used to laugh with our Cuban friends who would say "Miami would be nothing without the Cuban influence!" and we would always reply: "You're right. It'd be New York and Jewish."

About half of my sorority chapter was Jewish and so we celebrated all Christian and Jewish holidays! It was great exposure to a totally different culture. I finally understand the jokes about Jewish Mothers too, which may or may not be a good thing. I feel like there has been somewhat of a cultural renaissance for my generation where we don't view each other by religious affiliation. We view each other by accomplishments and what social network we're a part of, which is why we can laugh at stuff like this.

(In case you didn't know - the link above is an excerpt from Borat from the Ali G Show. The whole movie pokes fun at all cultures, religions, races ... nothing escapes unscathed).

Since Hanukkah begins at sundown tonight and many of my friends will be lighting the first candle, it's made me curious about Jewish influence beyond the kitchen. (In case you've never tried Matzah Ball soup, I highly recommend it!)

What is the Jewish influence on classical music? The only Jewish music we ever sang in choir was either "Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel" or "Hine Ma Tov" and both versions were decidedly American-Jewish. I finally heard the correct version of "Hine Ma Tov" in a synagogue during one of my friend's Bat Mitzvahs. (Incidentally - my Dad thought "Shabbath Shalom" was the name of everyone at the synagogue and promptly introduced himself in response. We have never let him live it down).

The Jewish influence on European classical music seems to be pretty minimal up until the 1800's, where composers such as Paul Dukas, Gustav Mahler, Felix Mendelssohn, Giacomo Meyerbeer ruled the day. However, many historians point out that Gregorian Chant gets its roots from Jewish choral music sung in synagogues (K. Symonds 2005), which is the earliest version of European classical music. So why this huge gap in Jewish influence on music? And why did so many composers shy away from using Jewish themes and melodies from their childhood?

I cannot find a good answer for either question, so if you can, please speak up!