Catalog

French composer Yves Ramette's (1921-2012) music is marked by its ability to broadcast "messages of the heart," offering unflinching and distinguished representations of emotion and experience using traditional forms. A student of Honegger and contemporary of Boulez, among others, Ramette's works draw from the rhythmic and harmonic elements of mid-20th-century France.

Praised for her "boldly inflected readings" (Jeremy Eichler, New York Times), "powerful technique" (Allan Kozinn, New York Times), and "purely pianistic panache" (Richard Dyer, Boston Globe), New York-based pianist Beth Levin has honed her interpretive and expressive skills since her days as a child prodigy in Philadelphia.

KEYBOARD3 Navona's second all-Sergio Cervetti album takes the listener to a world of kinetic and emotionally charged sound forged from three keyboard instruments. Sometimes it is the pianoforte, the king of instruments or the double keyboard of the harpsichord.

About 100 years ago, classical music made a jagged turn away from the harmonic structures that had comprised its underpinnings for several centuries. This departure was early-on dubbed atonalism, and opposed the functional harmony that prevailed during the great musical flourishing of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Composer Sparky Davis, who takes a "modern, not modernistic" approach to writing his music, continues this forward movement, expanding the vocabulary of music to include non-traditional elements and adding to the functional uses of long-established note combinations.

LOCK AND KEY opens the door to discover harmonious, melodic chamber works tied together by a shared understanding of the most treasured aspects of humanity. Through diverse experiences and impressionism, each composer highlights that which makes us human but is all too easy to hide away. Navona presents these works together as a reminder that inspiration can be found through appreciating the beauty of nature, the thrill of a first kiss, lighthearted fun on a night out, or simply by being alive.

Although we've all heard countless variations of J.S. Bach's ubiquitous Well-Tempered Clavier, from a subtle grace note added to Prelude and fugue in D minor to a dramatic rest added to Prelude and fugue in A major, composer and pianist Don Freund takes Book 1 of Bach's masterpiece and offers analysis with "A Composer's Approach," a unique, critical eye for a series of miniatures that are typically viewed through the lens of a performer.

Who says eclecticism isn't a wonderful thing? Certainly not us at Navona Records. SLICES is a carefully handpicked selection of new chamber works by contemporary composers designed to showcase the diversity of modern music-making, and these pieces by Sundin, Bakker, Sainsbury, Rusnak, Beeler, and Burns cut right through the oft-repeated misconception that classical music is dead on the vine.

Swiss composer Martin Schlumpf is a man of many talents. From his early practice of jazz bass and classical cello to academic writings on composition to formal education on clarinet, piano, conducting, theory, and composition-not to mention the decades of experience as a perform across a variety of genre - Schlumpf proves that the jack of all trades can be the master, as well. With SUMMER CIRCLE, Schlumpf combines his myriad influences to craft expressive, complex chamber pieces that marry the sophisticated intricacies of jazz with the studied nuance of modern classical.

CLAVIATURES is a collection of new works for piano and chamber ensemble from contemporary composers. These works by Asherov-Kalus, Scully, Tribble, Fletcher, Nagorcka, and Stölzel explore the notions of being human and observing the world around us with reflection, curiosity, and appreciation. This recording contains eight original and inspired pieces performed with talent and panache by musicians from around the world: pianists Karolina Rojahn, Lukáš Klánský, and Robert Pherigo; violinists Ondrej Lébr and Ann Marie-Brown; violist Neil Casey; clarinetist Doug Graham; flutist Lisa Hennessey; and cellist Lawrence Figg.

EMERGE is a two-disc album featuring the works of Boston-based composer Keith Kramer. Kramer's constant search for new modes of expression through music nestles itself into his music, and each piece represents another discovery in his search. His exploratory journey has helped him create a prolific catalog of music, ranging from the subtle and restrained to the ferocious and demanding.

HEAVY PEDAL is an all-organ disc featuring the compositions of Tadd Russo, Curt Cacioppo, Ron Nagorcka, Wilhelm Middleschulte, and Michael Summers performed by organists Michael Kraft, Robert Gallagher, David Scott Hamnes, Brink Bush, and Karel Martinek. As the title implies, the pieces on this disc are on the heavier side of classical music, reaching climaxes with real stopping power.

Keyboard & Chamber Music John Bilotta composer David Gaines composer Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra | Kirk Trevor conductor

Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra | Vit Micka conductor

Curt Cacioppo composer Impressioni venexiane (Impressions of Venice) Andrea Vio, violin Alberto Battiston, violin Luca Morassutti, viola Angelo Zanin, cello Recorded May 20, 2009, Preganziol (TV), Italy Sulla Via dei Sette Ponti (On the Road of the Seven Bridges) Recorded June 1, 2009, [...]

Osias Wilenski composer

Michael J. Evans composer