Naxos Classical Spotlight

Naxos of America
  • 4.7 (19)
  • MUSIC
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Naxos Classical Spotlight

Naxos Classical Spotlight explores the world of classical music. Along the way host Raymond Bisha shares the stories about the music, and the musicians who make it.

  1. 7H AGO

    The Piano Music of Alois Hába

    There is a span of nearly six decades between the first and last of the compositions on this album of piano music by Czech composer Alois Hába, with works written during various creative periods and with differing intentions. As a whole, they document both the development of the composer’s musical thinking and goals and the diversity of approach to composing for the piano in the 20th century.

    26 min

  2. 4D AGO

    Vasari Singers. Close harmony. Open perfection.

    Vasari Singers, one of the UK's pre-eminent choirs, have titled their new album The Music Never Ends, referencing Michel Legrand and his celebrated song How do you Keep the Music Playing? And by the end of the album's twenty-one tracks, you'll wish it could be so. Raymond Bisha dips into the programme's multi-faceted offerings, while didgeridoo players should be on immediate standby to make a contribution. Listen up, and listen on.

    20 min

  3. JUL 4

    Introducing piano works by Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez

    Composer/poet Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1897. He went on to become a leading figure in the development of Brazil's classical music scene, as a composer, conductor, musicologist, and a professor of harmony in the National Music Institute in Rio de Janeiro, as well as other institutions. Along with Francisco Mignone and other prominent musicians, he was a founding member of the new Conservatório Brasileiro de Música, and together with Villa-Lobos he helped innovate music teaching in Brazil. His considerable musical legacy includes 48 songs, two symphonies, the orchestral suite Reisado do Pastoreio, the opera Malazarte, numerous chamber works, and around 80 piano pieces. A selection of the latter forms the basis of this podcast discussion between pianist Clélia Iruzun and Raymond Bisha.

    25 min
  4. An Introduction to the United Strings of Europe

    JUL 3

    An Introduction to the United Strings of Europe

    In this podcast Raymond Bisha talks with Julian Azkoul, Director of United Strings of Europe, about how the group started, about their album, and about how they started recording for BIS label at the invitation of their legendary founder and producer Robert von Bahr.  It is hard to overstate how important Robert's unequivocal support was for the ensemble.  All that, plus music by Osvaldo Golijov, Olli Mustonen, Dobrinka Tabakova and Igor Stravinsky.

    27 min
  5. "Just Biber". A new album with Rachel Podger and Brecon Baroque

    JUL 1

    "Just Biber". A new album with Rachel Podger and Brecon Baroque

    In Biber’s time, harmony was something cosmic, vibrating in a God-given resonance between human, instrumental, and celestial bodies. After all, the string instrument in early modern Europe was configured as a human body – with a neck, belly, and ribs to match. The Sonatas were therefore not only designed to delight, but also potentially to balm and heal; Biber described the sonatas as a kind of prayer for his patron's longevity and good health.

    26 min

  6. JUN 27

    Introducing the symphonic sphere of Leevi Madetoja

    “I feel that you will achieve your greatest triumphs in [the symphonic] genre for I consider you to have precisely the properties that make a great symphonic composer. This is my firm belief.” Thus wrote Jan Sibelius in 1914 to his former student Leevi Madetoja. Raymond Bisha presents supporting evidence for that foresight in extracts from Madetoja's First and Third Symphonies and the Okon Fuoko Suite performed by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under John Storgårds.

    20 min
  7. Halleluja Junction. American Music for Two Piano

    JUN 24

    Halleluja Junction. American Music for Two Piano

    The musical partnership of pianists Anna Geniushene and Lukas Geniušas, both esteemed prize-winners of major international competitions, is not just a testament to their flourishing solo careers and a shared musical heritage and philosophy. It is a profound expression of their deep emotional connection, a bond that resonates in their performances and captivates audiences world-wide. With their unique synergy, this husband-and-wife duo brings a fresh and thrilling perspective to the world of piano duos, setting them apart from their peers.

    20 min

  8. JUN 22

    The Winter's Tale. Joby Talbot's music for Christopher Wheeldon's ballet.

    Joby Talbot has written music for several of Christopher Wheeldon's ballets including The Winter's Tale, the focus of this podcast, as well as Like Water for Chocolate and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  In this podcast Joby talks about how he goes about composing music for a ballet and his ongoing collaboration with Christopher Wheeldon. The Opus Arte label has released all three of these ballets in a box set on both DVD and BluRay; they can also be streamed by going to the Royal Ballet and Opera website.

    20 min
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4.7
out of 5
19 Ratings

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Naxos Classical Spotlight explores the world of classical music. Along the way host Raymond Bisha shares the stories about the music, and the musicians who make it.

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