Classical Music Discoveries

STYLISTIC ALCHEMIES Scott Barton Scott Barton, contemporary composer and Assistant Professor of Music at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, engages in a rather unusual hobby: He designs and builds musical robots. Hardly unexpected then, that Barton's first Ravello Records release STYLISTIC ALCHEMIES is an electroacoustic box of surprises. Balancing diverse musical elements with the virtuosity of a skilled playwright, Barton takes the listener on a journey that pushes the boundaries of established genre definitions. The opening track, Breeding in Pieces, starts out with a deceptively familiar early 2000's indie rock (!) sound – only to lead, like a will-o'-the-wisp, into the alluring sound of Eroding Mountains, in which a suave 1960's-style radio presenter voice juxtaposed with dissonant plucked strings creates an atmosphere of tangible unease. For those who prefer their serving of destiny to be accompanied by a side dish of jocular existential absurdity, Opus Palladianum ticks all the boxes, offering a well-structured, soothing respite soon taken over by synthesizers and rhythmic experimentation. In many ways, STYLISTIC ALCHEMIES is a work of contrasts and the reconciliation of opposites: for Steps that Grow When Climbed is equally bleak and colorful, interrupted only by the occasional glimpse of harmonic resolution, impressively building up to a harrowing climax in which rhythm and melody eventually triumph over the chaos. Carried by Currents could well be the soundtrack to an intriguing dream, its themes appearing and dissolving in logical successions but retaining an atmosphere of wavering physicality, at times walking a tightrope which seemingly spans an almost classicist aesthetic. The aptly titled Effusion, on the other hand, may hold interest with a recurring theme (quite the rarity on an album as diverse as this), but the instrumentation and compelling rhythm convey a mood more reminiscent of a psychedelic night out. Scott Barton's work indubitably succeeds in transcending the limits of contemporary composition: STYLISTIC ALCHEMIES wants to be, and is, more than electroacoustic chamber music – it is a journey through the possibilities of artistic expression.

Fancy Free Facsimile - Choreographic Essay for Orchestra Dybbuk Conducted by Leonard Bernstein

This broadcast has been archived to YouTube and is now available at: https://youtu.be/WM-Gnx8YaVY

The siblings Marie-Luise and Christoph Dingler are specialists in the category violin duo. Raised in a musical environment – grandfather a musical director, mother a Cantor and harpsichordist – they achieved their high level of musicianship and unique sound after years of performing together. Their passion and main objective is not only to perfect the existing repertoire, but also to carry the tradition of “violin duo “into the current times. Both started to play violin at the age of 7 and participated already 4 years later in „Jugend musiziert“, a nation-wide competition, where they won the first award six times in the following years. They are winners of Adolf Metzner Foundation, the Heinrich Vetter Foundation, the Kiwanis Club, the Bruno-Herrmann Prize, the European music competition and the International Violin Competition Hofheim, just to mention a few. As soloists they performed with the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Baden-Baden, the Brandenburg State Orchestra, the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra, the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès (Barcelona), the New Ideas Chamber Orchestra (Lithuania), the Mannheimer Philharmonic, the Kurpfälzische Chamber Orchestra and appeared several times on TV and radio stations nationally and Internationally (SWR, SWR2, RBB, Center TV, Desh TV and many others). They performed internationally in India, Bangladesh, Turkey, Tunisia, Spain, Italy, France, Lithuania, Austria and Switzerland, at national and international festivals (including cultural summer Nord Hessen, Weilburger Schlosskonzerte, Villa Musica, Musik Erlebnis Munich, Podium Festival Esslingen, Kintai Music Festival Lithuania) and as guest artists on the cruise ship MS Europa 2.They shared the stage with known artists ‚Spark – the classic band‘ and Yuri Revich (both ECHO – Award winner). Both studied violin with Prof. Bratchkova at the Musikhochschule in Mannheim (diploma of artistic education and solo education) and since then pass their knowledge on to subsequent generations. In 2009 the Twiolins initiated the 1st Progressive Classical Music Award, to enrich and broaden the repertoire for two violins. In 2012 the Twiolins were awarded the “Helene-Hecht-Preis” for their efforts. 2011 they released the CD VIRTUOSO featuring the winning works, followed by the CDs SUNFIRE and SECRET PLACES after every three years. For more information, please visit: www.thetwiolins.de

WAKING THE SPARROWS Duo Sureño Nancy King, soprano & Robert Nathanson, guitar WAKING THE SPARROW, the premiere recording on PARMA RECORDINGS from classical and baroque guitarist Robert Nathanson and soprano Nancy King, performing as Duo Soreño, is the result of a twenty-year long journey exploring the grandeur of the human voice blended with the vibrancy of the guitar. Interpreting the work of five notable modern composers who were, in turn, inspired by the words of poets throughout the ages, Nathanson and King deliver a stunning performance that is rich in its variety and impressive in scope. The album opens with William Neil’s “Out of Darkness into Light”, which adds violin, saxophone, bassoon and contrabassoon to Duo Soreño’s arrangement of what the composer described as a “mystery play interpreting through composed and improvisational music the prayer-like text written by Malgosia Sawczuk.” Along with violinist Danijela Žeželej-Gualdi, the duo interprets “Open the River,” with text from “To the Hand,” a poem by W.S. Merwin. The poem’s transcendental and archetypal imagery provides a rich underpinning for the piece. The remaining pieces on WAKING THE SPARROW feature only Nathanson and King. “A Song of Unending Sorrow” is a three-movement setting for guitar and soprano, inspired by composer Jing Jing Luo’s interpretation of a work by the Tang Dynasty poet Ba Juji. The performance, at once both simple and intricate, captures the ecstasy of love and the sorrow of loss. Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award-winning composer William Bolcom’s “Three Cabaret Songs” – among the most beloved of his songs – arise from his collaboration with poet Arnold Weinstein and are here for the first time arranged for soprano and guitar by guitarist Michael Lorimer. Inspired by the seasonal aspect of much of haiku poetry, “Waking the Sparrows: Five Haiku Songs” was composed for Duo Soreño by David Ketchley. Its lyrical and dramatic exploration of the timbral possibilities of voice and guitar evoke a haiku-like aura of Spring, further emphasized by King’s singing of the lyrics to several of the movements in Japanese. Guitarist Robert Nathanson is an active recitalist and orchestral soloist, now focusing on chamber music. He has been performing as part of the Ryoanji Duo (guitar and saxophone) and the North Carolina Guitar Quartet since 1992 and as part of Duo Soreño since 1999. He is also the Artistic Director of PRO MUSICA, a concert series celebrating the music of living composers. A champion of new music, Nathanson has commissioned, premiered, and recorded works by many modern composers. He has released five CDs in various musical configurations prior to his PARMA RECORDINGS debut, WAKING THE SPARROW. Soprano Nancy King is artistic director of Opera Wilmington and an active performer and guest lecturer. She has performed and recorded with the Wilmington Symphony, Chamber Music Wilmington, Toronto Classical Singers, and the Grammy Award-winning Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, of which she was a member from 1998 – 2004.

Peter Pan is a 1950 musical adaptation of J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up with music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein; it opened on Broadway on April 24, 1950.[1] This version starred Jean Arthur as Peter Pan, Boris Karloff in the dual roles of George Darling and Captain Hook, and Marcia Henderson as Wendy. The show was orchestrated by Hershy Kay and conducted by Benjamin Steinberg. The show ran for 321 performances, closing on January 27, 1951. The production was initially intended as a full-blown musical, with Bernstein composing a complete score for it, but was staged with only five songs – "Who Am I?", "Pirate's Song", "Plank Round", "Build My House", and "Peter Peter" – to accommodate the limited vocal ranges of the principals. In 2000, conductor Alexander Frey learned about the full score, and restored the omitted material, which included almost an hour of previously unperformed Bernstein music. The restored songs included "Captain Hook Soliloquy" and "Dream With Me". The world premiere recording of Bernstein’s complete score was released on CD in 2005, conducted by Frey, and featuring Broadway star Linda Eder in the role of Wendy Darling, and baritone Daniel Narducci as Captain Hook, on the Koch International Classics label. In September 2008 the world premiere performance of the full Bernstein score was performed in concert with Alexander Frey conducting the Gulbenkian Orchestra, and dialogue adapted from the original J. M. Barrie play by Nina Bernstein Simmons. Three performances were given in Cascais, Portugal, for a combined audience of over 10,000 people, and featured Geraldine James (narrator), John Sackville-West (Peter Pan), Charlotte Ellett and Rachel Nicholls(Wendy) and Nicholas Lester (Captain Hook). The first stage production of the full Bernstein score was given by Santa Barbara Theater (California) in December 2008, directed by Albert Ihde and again conducted by Alexander Frey. A new chamber adaptation of the score will be produced at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in June 2018, directed by Christopher Alden.

BIRDS OF THE PSALMS Cappella Clausura German philosopher Immanuel Kant defined the Sublime as "beauty accompanied by awe" – a thought which perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Cappella Clausura's second PARMA release, BIRDS OF THE PSALMS. Evocatively conducted by Amelia LeClair, the ensemble interprets a magnificent choral repertoire spanning six centuries. Indeed, this Boston-area choir performs with such intimate dedication that the individual voices morph into a single body of sound, leading the listener deeply into the heart of the music itself. This unification of vocal expression, flawless and soulfully upheld throughout, unveils the timelessness of all works performed – from 17th-century favorite Henry Purcell's Hear My Prayer to contemporary composer Patricia Van Ness's eponymous choral cycle Birds of the Psalms. The latter, a selection of ten psalms scored for a cappella choir, constitutes the album's focal point. Van Ness explores the pure and the divine in carefully constructed, aesthetically crafted soundscapes. Conducted by Amelia LeClair, Birds of the Psalms runs the gamut of the human condition from profound serenity to fervent longing. While Psalm 104 conveys a sophisticated tenderness, Psalm 54 and Psalm 148 examine downright primal realms of tonality, featuring grand melodic lines interspersed with strong rhythmic contrasts. The opening track, Psalm 91, develops into a spacious musical tapestry from but a single initial voice. Unsurprisingly, Van Ness's gracious compositions pair well with the established choral repertoire. Purcell's aforementioned classic, haunting and beautiful in its own right, is performed with dolorous intensity, rendering the final resolution nothing short of breathtaking. Tchaikovsky's ethereal Svete Tihiy evokes the natural appeal of birdsong, while Rachmaninoff's Blagoslovi, its background of male vocals juxtaposed with a single alto in what could best be described as a spiritual bel canto, sounds positively out of this world. Painstakingly recorded, mixed, and mastered, this album draws the listener into crystal-clear, extraordinary scenery, transcending the limitations of the modern secular existence. If there is a musical way to intuit Kant's ideas of the truly Sublime – this is it.

Alexandre Perotto - 35, is a self developed visual artist, photographer, art director and composer - based in Brasília, Brazil. His work is inspired by his life, memories, the natural and surreal world. Perotto's artworks and photos were featured on advertising, magazines, calendars, house decor, album covers and exhibited in art galleries. Website: www.alexandreperotto.in Instagram: www.instagram.com/perotto

Soft and reflective piano solos dedicated to those who love beautiful, peaceful melodies, and the warm sound of the piano. Winner of several ASCAP Awards for her music, Jane Leslie holds two degrees from Juilliard.

SWEET SPONTANEOUS Michael Arnowitt & ImproVisions Jazz Concert pianist and composer Michael Arnowitt, assisted by ImproVisions Jazz, makes his Big Round Records debut with SWEET SPONTANEOUS, the title drawn from a poem by e.e.cummings. This two-disc jazz album features 14 of Arnowitt’s own compositions with the composer himself at the piano, joined by a dozen jazz notables including Yosvany Terry on alto sax, Lucas Pino on tenor sax, Dave Smith on trumpet, and Colin Stranahan on drums. Against the Wind, featuring vocalist Shirley Crabbe, tells the story of a woman summoning the strength to persist in the face of powerful forces. In The Crossing, bassist Rick Rosato’s accompaniment to the spoken words of a Langston Hughes poem evolves into a slow groove of brushes, keys, bass, and sax, rendering the listener completely spellbound. Syria-us is the creative culmination of a deep study Arnowitt made of Syrian literature and music in preparation for benefit concerts he organized in 2016 to support humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees. The composer’s love of Bulgarian music is shown in Bulgarian Hoedown’s wild, exuberant fiddling and Shapka Swing, which opens with a triumphant fanfare that transitions to klezmer before emerging as the energetic gem of the album. Ascent features a reading of Maya Angelou’s celebrated poem Still I Rise combined with a flirtatious melody and syncopated accompaniment reflecting the spunkiness of both poet and poem. With SWEET SPONTANEOUS, Michael Arnowitt encapsulates the journey of world music into jazz with dignity, class, and just the right amount of swing. The Washington Post wrote of an Arnowitt concert: “He played with an exquisite sense of touch, color and musical imagination.” Come join Michael Arnowitt as he takes us on voyages into these highly absorbing musical landscapes.

Belshazzar's Feast, Op. 51, is incidental music by Jean Sibelius to a play of the same name by the journalist, poet and playwright Hjalmar Fredrik Eugen Procopé. Sibelius composed in 1906 eight movements, scored for orchestra, with singers also being required in some numbers. The Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52, by Jean Sibelius is a symphony in three movements composed in 1907. Coming between the romantic intensity of Sibelius's first two symphonies and the more austere complexity of his later symphonies, it is a good-natured, triumphal, and deceptively simple-sounding piece. The symphony's first performance was given by the Helsinki Philharmonic Society, conducted by the composer, on 25 September 1907. In the same concert, his suite from the incidental music to Belshazzar's Feast, Op. 51, was also performed for the first time. Conducted by Dominique Beaulieu CMD Paris Philharmonic in Orleans

40 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC GRUPO ENCUENTROS Alicia Terzian, conductor Since composer, conductor and musicologist Alicia Terzian founded Grupos Encuentros in 1978, the six-person group has garnered international acclaim for its success at bringing the music of avant-garde Argentinian and Latin American composers to the world. On 40 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC, their debut recording for RAVELLO RECORDS, the group combines compositions from such well-known Latin American composers as Heitor Villa-Lobos, Alberto Ginaslera, and Terzian herself with works by an international array of composers that ranges from Anton Webern (Germany) to Luciano Berio (Italy) to Franz Schreker (Austria) to Pierre Boulez (France). Grupo Encuentos consists of mezzo soprano Marta Blanco, pianist Claudio Espector, flutist Fabio Mazzitelli, clarinetist Matias Tchicourel, violinist Sergio Polizzi and violoncellist Carlos Nozzi. In this CD, saxophonist Maria Noel Luzzardo, oboist Ruben Albornoz, bassoonist Ernesto Imsand and percussionist Arauco Yepes join Encuentros Group. The program presented on 40 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC originally premiered at the annual Encuentros International Festivas in Buenos Aires and truly highlights the brilliance of these award-winning musicians, who have earned high praise from such media outlets as the Los Angeles Times, where they were lauded as “deeply serious and challenging.” Over their 40 year-long career, the group has performed in more than 300 concert halls and festivals of the main cities of five continents including London’s Royal Albert Hall and New York City’s Merkin Auditorium. 40 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC transcends cultural boundaries with such selections as Villa-Lobos’ Choro No 7, which unites the sounds of Amerindian primitivism with the polkas and waltzes of suburban dance halls in Brazil. Emphasizing her status as a renowned ethnomusicologist, Terzian dedicates her composition Yagua Ya Yuca to the Chiriguano and Chanel peoples, who belong to a lost indigenous northwestern Argentinian culture O King was composed the same year as the assassination of Martin Luthor King, a tragedy which deeply affected its Italian composer Luciano Berio. Grupo Esncuentros founder Alicia Terzian has composed over 80 compositions for orchestras, orchestra with soloist, and chamber orchestras with and without soloists, musical theater, dance, and multimedia. She travels the world giving seminars on composition and contemporary chamber music at European and American universities and is often invited to participate on juries at international compositions.

Dominika Zamara was born 11 August 1981 in Wrocław. In 2007 she had honours degree on Karol Lipinski Musical Academy in Wroclaw (vocal faculty). Her professor was Barbara Ewa Werner. She received the one year lasting scholarship in the Italian Musical Conservatory in Verona, She educated her voice in Italy at masters of bel-canto art such as: Bruno Pola, Alida Ferrarini, Enrico De Mori, Mario Melani, Alessandra Althoff-Pugliese, Danile Anselmi. She works with numerous artistic agencies in the whole Europe and the United States.

DASH CUATROGATO (FOUR CATS) A warm, tropical breeze blows across the palm trees while you stroll Havana’s famous Malecón. There’s a good chance you hear the music from DASH – the latest release from Ansonica Records. Recorded in Cuba, DASH was born from the vision of jazz and with the intent of fusing it with traditional rock, Cuban folk, and music from other traditions. For Dash opens the album with propulsive drums and hook heavy Hammond B3 before igniting a propulsive jam that sets the tone for the rest of the recording. Contrary to its title, Inertia moves between Andy Garcia Palacios’ laid back electric piano groove and Dayron Ortiz Jiménez’s ferocious electric guitar. Drume Negrita and Cuando Ya No Estas layer Cuban flair over a slow jam. With exceptionally fluid guitar and drums sitting deep in the pocket, this is what sunset in Cuba sounds like. DASH concludes with the rollicking melody of Easy Blues. Saloon style piano over Hernán Cortes Vilches’ funk heavy drums effortlessly bends genres while still sounding distinctly Cuban.

Be sure to join us in August as Classical Music Discoveries celebrates Leonard Bernstein's 100th Birthday. During August you will be treated to Bernstein's ballets, operatic works, film scores, musicals, incidental music and orchestral works. If you are a fan of Bernstein, you will not want to miss the musical birthday cake we are serving in August. Only on Classical Music Discoveries, the world's most popular choice for classical music.