Alpha Classics today releases esteemed Brazilian conductor Simone Menezes’ new album, Amazônia, the capstone to a project celebrating the music of Philip Glass and the great Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. Pairing musical selections with striking images by Brazilian social documentary photographer and photojournalist Sebastião Salgado, the broader Amazônia project is a meditation on the beauty and fragility of the Amazon rainforest. Menezes has been praised throughout Europe and Latin America for her “astonishing performances” and “daring concepts [that] could only come from a deep and free artist and thinker" (Classical Music Magazine), and made her North American conducting debut leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic in all Beethoven at the legendary Hollywood Bowl on August 29, 2023. Watch Excerpts from the LA Phil Performance.Help support our show by purchasing this album  at:Downloads (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store) Classical Music Discoveries is sponsored by Uber and Apple Classical. @CMDHedgecock#ClassicalMusicDiscoveries #KeepClassicalMusicAlive#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofVenice #CMDParisPhilharmonicinOrléans#CMDGermanOperaCompanyofBerlin#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofBarcelonaSpain#ClassicalMusicLivesOn#Uber#AppleClassical Please consider supporting our show, thank you!Donate (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store) staff@classicalmusicdiscoveries.com This album is broadcasted with the permission of Katy Salomon representing Primo Artists.

Episode 316: 19316 Amazonia

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SOMM RECORDINGS announces the first volume of Prokofiev Milestones, featuring three characterful sonatas and a sparkling arrangement of music from Romeo and Juliet performed by violinist Lana Trotovšek and flutist Boris Bizjak accompanied by Maria Canyigueral on piano.Prokofiev Milestones revealingly turns the focus away from the prolific composer’s famed orchestral works and celebrated ballets to his rich and varied chamber music.First performed in 1943, the Sonata for Flute and Piano (Op.94) is, as Robert Matthew-Walker comments in his notes, “music not of war, but of peace”; a pastoral escape laced with wit and mischief vouchsafed within a pristine neo-classical frame.It is heard again, transformed, in Prokofiev’s transcription for Violin and Piano (Op.94a). Composed soon after, it lays claim to being “one of the finest 20th-century works in the genre and a genuine masterpiece”.The Sonata for Two Violins (Op.56) is heard in a new arrangement by Boris Bizjak that eloquently makes much of its sentimentality, drama, and vitality.A characterful suite drawn from Romeo and Juliet, and arranged for violin and piano by Lidia Baich and Matthias Fletzberger, revels in Shakespeare’s great romance and Prokofiev’s ardent response to it.TracksSonata for Flute and Piano in D Major, Op. 94 (24:15)I. Moderato (8:06)II. Scherzo: Presto (5:09)III. Andante (3:49)IV. Allegro con brio (7:10)Sonata for Two Violins in C Major, Op. 56 (arr. Boris Bizjak for flute and violin) (14:40)I. Andante cantabile (2:22)II. Allegro (3:15)III. Commodo (quasi allegro) (3:32)IV. Allegro con brio (5:29)Suite from Romeo and Juliet (arr. Lidia Baich and Matthias Fletzberger for violin and piano) (15:45)I. Introduction (1:29)II. Juliet (1:31)III. Dance of the Knights (3:03)IV. Balcony Scene (4:47)V. Dance of the Couples (1:27)VI. Mercutio – Fight – Tybalt’s Death (3:25)Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano in D Major, Op. 94a (24:35)*I. Moderato (7:52)II. Scherzo: Presto (5:13)III. Andante (4:14)IV. Allegro con brio (7:14)Help support our show by purchasing this album  at:Downloads (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store) Classical Music Discoveries is sponsored by Uber. @CMDHedgecock#ClassicalMusicDiscoveries #KeepClassicalMusicAlive#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofVenice #CMDParisPhilharmonicinOrléans#CMDGermanOperaCompanyofBerlin#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofBarcelonaSpain#ClassicalMusicLivesOn#Uber#AppleClassical Please consider supporting our show, thank you!Donate (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store) staff@classicalmusicdiscoveries.com This album is broadcast with the permission of Sean Dacy from Rosebrook Media.

Episode 107: 20107 Prokofiev Milestones

Lotario ("Lothair", HWV 26) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was adapted from Antonio Salvi's Adelaide. The opera was first given at the King's Theatre in London on 2 December 1729.The story of the opera is a fictionalization of some events in the life of Holy Roman Empress Adelaide of Italy.Conducted by Kathryn CavanaughPerformed by the CMD Opera Company of VenicePlease visit this album in our store for the full opera synopsis at:Handel: Lotario, HWV 26 (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store)

Episode 104: 20104 Handel: Lotario, HWV 26

A captivating anthology of British clarinet compositions curated and performed by versatile musician Ronald Woodley and pianist Andrew West. This collection explores British musical modernism, featuring both new and underappreciated pieces from the twentieth century by composers Elisabeth Lutyens, Angela Elizabeth Slater, Morris Pert, Christopher Fox, and Edward Cowie. Woodley’s deep-rooted fascination for the basset horn, inspired by Lutyens, drove him to rediscover the world of British musical modernism, revealing its complexities and dynamics.Notable compositions in the anthology include Elisabeth Lutyens’ “This Green Tide” for the basset horn, Angela Elizabeth Slater’s “Around the Darkening Sun” for bass clarinet and piano, Morris Pert’s “Luminos” for basset horn and piano, Christopher Fox’s “This has happened before” featuring multitracked bass clarinets, and Edward Cowie’s “Heather Jean Nocturnes” inspired by visual art. This collection is a valuable addition for clarinet enthusiasts and music lovers, shedding light on the lesser-known gems of British music and showcasing the power of artistic collaboration across mediums, offering a glimpse into the evolution of British music.TracksElisabeth LutyensThis Green Tide, Op. 103 (10:15)Angela Elizabeth SlaterAround the Darkening Sun* (5:25)Morris PertLuminos, Op. 16a (16:22)Christopher FoxThis has happened before (10:54)Elisabeth LutyensFive Little Pieces, Op. 14 No. 1*I. Lirico (1:21)II. Drammatico (0:47)III. Doloroso (1:41)IV. Pastorale (0:46)V. Declamatorio (0:35)Liz Dilnot JohnsonThe Space Between Heaven and Earth*I. Winter (4:19)II. Spring (1:08)III. Summer (1:24)IV. Autumn (1:08)Edward CowieHeather Jean Nocturnes*I. The Singing Stream – Evening (4:08)II. Sun and Moon Dancing (4:11)III. Okavango Dream Streams (4:00)IV. Lake Eacham Blue (3:31)V. Earth Nocturnal (3:58)Classical Music Discoveries is sponsored by Uber. @CMDHedgecock#ClassicalMusicDiscoveries #KeepClassicalMusicAlive#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofVenice #CMDParisPhilharmonicinOrléans#CMDGermanOperaCompanyofBerlin#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofBarcelonaSpain#ClassicalMusicLivesOn#Uber#AppleClassical Please consider supporting our show, thank you!Donate (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store) staff@classicalmusicdiscoveries.comThis album is broadcast with the permission of Crossover Media Music Promotion (Zachary Swanson and Amanda Bloom).

Episode 103: 20103 Luminos

This ground-breaking album is the first of its kind – devoted entirely to new music written for the woodwind orchestra. It features outstanding performances by the principal woodwind players of the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Shea Lolin, and includes four world premiere recordings.The recording was made to both promote British composers and to give focus to the woodwind orchestra. This program showcases the woodwind orchestra in all its voices: Overture for Woodwinds is bright and lyrical, while Pantomime is joyously comical with moments of heartrending nostalgia. A notable shift in the language comes with Dreamtide, which is a beautiful expression of the subconscious, with delicate and tender lines. Battle Symphony is a pictorial suite containing elements of pastiche in ten highly original sections. The album concludes with Twisted Skyscape, a vibrant and excitingly powerful piece.Conductor Shea Lolin is a dynamic and versatile freelance musician living in London. His principal studies were in clarinet performance, composition, and conducting at the Colchester Institute, and he has since developed an inimitable portfolio career as a conductor, performer, and teacher.A second album of world premieres for woodwind orchestra, Chromosphere, will be released by Divine Art in early 2024.TracksPhilip SparkeOverture for Woodwinds (6:10)Gary CarpenterPantomime*I. Prologue (2:48)II. Cavatina and Polka (2:51)III. Dream Calypso and Farewell (4:30)IV. Grand March (of the Chief Executive) (3:38)V. Waltz – Finale (Depravity) (3:31)Christopher HusseyDreamtide*I. Twilight’s Haze (3:35)II. Wild Reality (5:13)III. A Dream within a Dream (6:29)Adam GorbBattle Symphony*I. Fourish; II. Courtly Dance; III. Flourish (reprise) (3:06)IV. Sword fighting practice; V. Soldiers’ drunken panic; VI. Preparation for battle; VII. The Battle (3:35)VIII. Lament for the Dead; IX. Triumphal Dance; X. Flourish (Reprise) (3:46)Christopher HusseyTwisted Skyscape*I. A Natural World (3:49)II. The Human Footprint (5:41)III. Nature’s Conquest (4:42)Classical Music Discoveries is sponsored by Uber. @CMDHedgecock#ClassicalMusicDiscoveries #KeepClassicalMusicAlive#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofVenice #CMDParisPhilharmonicinOrléans#CMDGermanOperaCompanyofBerlin#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofBarcelonaSpain#ClassicalMusicLivesOn#Uber#AppleClassical Please consider supporting our show, thank you!Donate (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store) staff@classicalmusicdiscoveries.comThis album is broadcast with the permission of Crossover Media Music Promotion (Zachary Swanson and Amanda Bloom).

Episode 101: 20101 Twisted Skyscape

Composer and Latin Grammy-nominated conductor Dimitri Cervo presents in this album his complete piano works, in a comprehensive selection of pieces that span nearly four decades of creative output.   Interpreted by Lucas Thomazinho, one of the most prominent figures in the contemporary piano scene, the album showcases the ongoing artistic evolution and rich diversity of musical influences that permeate Cervo's body of work.   The album features three distinct phases in Cervo's compositional journey: The first phase, spanning from 1985 to 1997, is notably marked by the influence of classical piano repertoire, with special reverence for the works of Scriabin and Chopin, whose works were intensely studied by Cervo during his academic piano training. Standouts from this phase include Estudo (1985), with its intricate rhythmic changes, and Prelúdio Titanic (1985), an evocative piece that portrays the history of the famous ship. The second creative phase (1998-2010) is characterized by the innovative fusion of distinctive elements of Brazilian music with minimalism. Finally, the third and current phase, which began in 2011 and continues to the present day, is marked by the amalgamation of various influences and the consolidation of the composer's artistic maturity and innovative vision in the contemporary musical landscape.  Tracks1. Estudo (1985) (01:11) 2. Prelúdio in B Major (1985) (01:49) 3. Prelúdio “Titanic” (1985) (01:39) 4. Prelúdio in C-Sharp (1988) (01:27) 5. Toccata Fantástica (1989) (04:41) 6. Prelúdio I (1990) (01:57) 7. Prelúdio II (1991) (02:33) 8. Prelúdio III (1990) (02:48) 9. Prelúdio IV (1995) (03:33) 10. Flot (1994) (07:28) 11. Brasil 2000 (1998) (07:54) 12. Tema para Filme I (2005) (03:22) 13. Tema para Filme II (1989) (03:00) 14. Tema para Filme III (2007) (04:02) 15. Tema para Filme IV (2008) (01:35) 16. Tema para Filme V (2008) (04:32) 17. Tema para Filme VI (1987) (00:59) 18. Tema para Filme VII (2021) (01:23) 19. Variações Ternas Sobre um Tema de Ronaldo Miranda (2022) (05:41) Classical Music Discoveries is sponsored by Uber. @CMDHedgecock#ClassicalMusicDiscoveries #KeepClassicalMusicAlive#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofVenice #CMDParisPhilharmonicinOrléans#CMDGermanOperaCompanyofBerlin#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofBarcelonaSpain#ClassicalMusicLivesOn#Uber#AppleClassical Please consider supporting our show, thank you!Donate (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store) staff@classicalmusicdiscoveries.comThis album is broadcast with the permission of Bárbara Leu from Azul Music.         

Episode 316: 19316 Amazonia

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