Marco Polo was the first label in the Naxos family to be launched, in 1982. It includes almost 1,000 recordings of works by both familiar and little known composers, light music, film music and world music – a veritable feast of new listening experiences.
With many rarities drawn from the period 1850–1940 as its hallmark, the Marco Polo catalogue boasts a discovery on every page – from Cimarosa to Chen Gang, plus all stops in between.
One of the many distinctions of the catalogue is the significant inclusion of the complete works of members of the Strauss family – Johann I, Johann II and Josef – in multi-volume editions, to which waltzes and polkas by Eduard Strauss have recently been added. The Marco Polo catalogue also features many works by other light classical composers such as Waldteufel and Suppé, and numerous British light music composers.
There’s a generous choice of album compilations, representing a rich tapestry of music in different styles and from a variety of countries. Chinese classics occupy a large portion of the catalogue, featuring traditional fare alongside classical works by both the older and more contemporary generations of composers, with new releases added regularly.
![MEYERBEER, G.: Jephtas Gelübde [Opera]](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/8.225383-84.jpg "MEYERBEER, G.: Jephtas Gelübde [Opera]")
– American Record Guide
– MusicWeb International
– American Record Guide
Swiss-Russian pianist Konstantin Scherbakov is among the most ubiquitous and frequently recorded pianists today. The range of his repertory is vast and demanding, both technically and interpretively, and his discography comprises some 50 recordings, including the complete solo piano works of Godowsky, Shostakovich and Respighi, and the complete works for piano and orchestra by Medtner, Tchaikovsky, Respighi and Scriabin.
Leopold Godowsky began composing his 53 Studies on the Chopin Études in 1894 when he was only 23, finishing two decades later. His fertile musical imagination and exceptional virtuosity ensure that the studies sound vastly more complex and daringly inventive than Chopin’s original material. This second volume completes the full set of Études and complements Volume 1 (8.225372) that was released in 2020.
– Punch
– ClassicsToday.com
– Courier-Post
– Classic FM ★★★★
For Konstantin Scherbakov’s full discography, visit naxos.com.
Naxos’ affiliated label Ondine was delighted to received two prestigious Gramophone Classical Music Awards this year. The awards ceremony took place at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London on 4 October.
An album of orchestral works by Lotta Wennäkoski featuring harpist Sivan Magen, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Nicholas Collon won the Contemporary Music category. ‘This is music that knows exactly where it is going and is happy to bring its audience along with it … The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra’s performances are superb, directed masterfully by Nicholas Collon, beautifully balanced and recorded in first-rate sound.’ (Gramophone)
Conducted by Sigvards Kļava, the Latvian Radio Choir’s album of John Cage’s music won the Choral Music category. ‘One is unsurprised by the unconventionality but taken aback by the richness and variety of the final musical result. It must be said as well that the singers sound as though they are enjoying themselves enormously.’ (Gramophone)
For the full list of Gramophone Award 2023 winners, visit gramophone.co.uk.
Dario Salvi, the Scottish-Italian conductor, musicologist and researcher who specialises in the restoration and performance of rare works, was recently awarded the “Riccardo Drigo” Music for Ballet Prize. The award was presented at the International Festival in Padua, Italy in September. The accolade recognises composers, musicians and conductors who have contributed significantly to the world of music for dance. Previous recipients have included renowned conductor Richard Bonynge.
![ADAM, A.: Orfa [Ballet]](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/8.574478.jpg "ADAM, A.: Orfa [Ballet]")
– ConcertNet.com ★★★★
– Fanfare
Heinrich Marschner developed his own distinctive operatic style that enabled him to become the leading German opera composer between Weber and the rise of Wagner. The works in this second volume of overtures and stage music (Volume 1 is on 8.574449) span much of his composing life, from the early commission for Prinz Friedrich von Homburg, a work that explores ethical philosophy, to the sumptuous and varied excerpts from Austin. The stirring overture from his dramatic cantata Klänge aus Osten reinforces his orchestral mastery and sense of colour.
![SUPPÉ, F. von: Reise um die Erde in 80 Tagen (Die) (Around the World in 80 Days) [Incidental Music]](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/8.574396.jpg "SUPPÉ, F. von: Reise um die Erde in 80 Tagen (Die) (Around the World in 80 Days) [Incidental Music]")
‘Dario Salvi is an expert at unearthing forgotten theatre music from the 19th Century. And it’s music that deserves a second hearing.’
– Charlottesville Classical
For Dario Salvi’s full discography, visit www.naxos.com.
The Naxos Music Group expresses its condolences at the news of the passing of violinist Felix Ayo at the age of 90.
Felix Ayo, founding leader and soloist of the I Musici ensemble and founder of the Quartetto Beethoven di Roma piano quartet, was an award-winning recording artist who assembled a specialist discography on the Dynamic label, including all twelve of Viotti’s violin sonatas (1997), the early violin works of Mendelssohn (1997), Tartini’s complete violin concertos (1993), and works for violin and piano by late-Romantic Spanish composer Joaquín Turina (1998–2001).
Ayo’s playing was considered mainstream within the context of his generation, characterised by a prominent vibrato and a pursuit of tonal beauty above all else.
Alberto Dellepiane, Dynamic’s label director, reflected on Ayo’s passing:
‘We wish to remember the great violinist and teacher Felix Ayo, who passed away on 24 September. Ayo made several recordings for Dynamic, both as a soloist (including works by Tartini, Viotti, Mendelssohn and Turina) and as a member of the Quartetto Beethoven di Roma. He was a dear friend, a kind and witty person, always available and endowed with a fine sense of humour. Thank you, Felix, for your friendship.’
Multiple GRAMMY-award winning conductor JoAnn Falletta, principal conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, was recently inducted into the West New York Business Hall of Fame, which recognises entrepreneurs, executives, inventors and visionaries who have had an indelible impact on the growth of Buffalo and the surrounding eight-county region.
As music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Falletta became the first woman to lead a major American ensemble. With a discography of over 125 titles, she is a leading recording artist for Naxos.
‘The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra led by the renown Kodály interpreter JoAnn Falletta gives a superbly idiomatic performance of all three of these works.’
– All About the Arts
This recording brings together four extraordinary mid-20th-century composers who helped shape America’s musical destiny. Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land is a moving tribute to the American rancher and farmer. It forms a profound celebration of those unsung heroes of that country’s landscape, and is perhaps his greatest expression of the preciousness of life. Walter Piston is represented by his colorful and beguiling The Incredible Flutist, which depicts a traveling circus led by a magical musician who is able to heal the sorrows of those who hear his music. The two premiere recordings here are the original orchestral version of Paul Creston’s thrilling Saxophone Concerto, and Ulysses Kay’s Pietà – a beautiful elegy inspired by Michelangelo’s masterpiece.
‘The Buffalo Philharmonic continues to thrill as they skillfully move through these difficult pieces, and under the baton of the redoubtable Falletta, the large ensemble moves as one creature – embracing every dynamic, subtlety and nuance.’
– The WholeNote
‘JoAnn Falletta’s interpretation brilliantly showcases the music’s strengths.’
– BBC Music Magazine ★★★★
Discover JoAnn Falletta’s extensive discography on Naxos.
Last month pianist Han Chen presented his latest commissioning project, Infinite Staircase, at the National Sawdust in New York. Inspired by György Ligeti’s 18 Études for piano, this project brought together 18 contemporary composers, hand-picked by Chen to represent a more diverse and creative future of classical music. Each composer is paired with one of Ligeti’s Études as a starting point for a new work. Chen, who has just released a new recording of the complete Ligeti piano Études on Naxos, performed all thirty-six works in one evening as a celebratory tribute to the iconic avant-garde composer’s centenary this year.
Chen said, ‘During the lockdown in 2021, I missed all my composer friends and needed to reconnect with them. As I was preparing for my Ligeti recording at the time, I came up with the idea of pairing one Ligeti Étude with one newly commissioned work. And, boom! I got 18 composers who said yes to this mammoth project. My utmost gratitude to all the composers!’
Click here to learn more about the programme and the participating composers.
‘[Han Chen]’s one of the few pianists who handles both gnarly contemporary scores and over-the-top Romantic showpieces with equal authority and style.’
– Gramophone
– Piano News
– ClassicsToday.com
– The WholeNote
– BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★
– Gramophone
– International Record Review
– The Guardian
Founded in 2003 by Ángel Gil-Ordóñez and music historian Joseph Horowitz, PostClassical Ensemble (PCE) has been a pioneer in transforming the concert experience through innovative programming and with collaborations across artistic mediums. Its humanities-infused programming tells stories, exploring music in its cultural and historical context. It often integrates theatre, dance, film, and visual art, as well as folk, indigenous, and popular music and instruments.
PCE has announced its 20th anniversary season. This landmark year’s lineup will be one that takes audiences on a journey through science, genius and paradise, in another daring yet uniquely accessible season. Visit postclassical.com to learn more.
– American Record Guide
– Pizzicato ★★★★★
– Soundstage! Xperience
– Gramophone
For PostClassical Ensemble’s full discography, visit naxos.com.
The International Tchaikovsky Competition is one of the major events in the international music community, held once every four years. This year, the competition took place in Moscow and St. Petersburg from 19 June to 1 July. Young pianist Valentin Malinin, winner of the 62nd Jaén Prize International Piano Competition, won the 2nd prize in the piano category. Notably, Malinin has also released recordings on Naxos.
His debut recording on Naxos featured a programme that offers moments of reflection alongside dazzling virtuosity. Classical Explorer described this recording as ‘a most rewarding release, well-balanced, and showcasing a major talent.’
– Fanfare
– Classical Music Sentinel
– The Strad
– MusicWeb International
– Fanfare
Musical America Worldwide recently announced the honorees of the 63rd annual Musical America Awards, which recognise classical music artists and leaders who have made outstanding contributions to the performing arts.
GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts has been named Composer of the Year. His works have been commissioned and performed by renowned organisations worldwide. The recording of his opera Silent Night (8.669050-51) was the Opera News’ Critic’s Choice and garnered critical acclaim. ‘Puts and Campbell have packed the serious theme into a complex score, very colourful and modern in style, with painfully dissonant and wonderfully lyrical moments.’ (Pizzicato)
Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen was named Artist of the Year for her exceptional performances that have captivated audiences worldwide, from New York to London. She showcased her talent in the leading role of The Royal Opera’s recording of Fidelio (OA1334D). Midlands Music Reviews praised her portrayal of Leonore, stating that she ‘lives up to the hype as Leonore, in a magnificent voice with the necessary spinto cutting edge in Abscheulicher’.
The awards also recognise Sir Antonio Pappano, music director of the Royal Opera House, naming him Conductor of the Year. He is widely sought-after and will assume the role of chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra next year. Among his latest recordings on the Opus Arte label are Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (OA1356D) and Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov (OA1376D).
For more information and interviews, please click here.
This autumn Marin Alsop begins her new position as artistic director and chief conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR). The 2023/24 season will see her conduct seven symphonic concerts. Recent performances include a programme of Hindemith and Beethoven (13 October) and a performance of Krzysztof Penderecki’s opera The Black Mask (23 November).
Currently chief conductor of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Alsop is also chief conductor and curator of Chicago’s Ravinia Festival where she conducts the Chicago Symphony’s summer residencies. She is music director laureate of the Baltimore Symphony, where she founded the orchestra’s OrchKids education programme, and conductor of honour of Brazil’s São Paulo Symphony Orchestra. In 2020 she was appointed music director of the National Orchestral Institute + Festival at the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. She recently took up the position of principal guest conductor of London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, starting in the 2023–24 concert season.
[8-Disc Boxed Set]
– ClassicsToday.com
[6-Disc Boxed Set]
– MusicWeb International
– Klassisk ★★★★★
– AllMusic.com ★★★★★
– AllMusic.com ★★★★★
View the full list of Marin Alsop’s extensive Naxos discography here.
– American Record Guide
– BBC Music Magazine
– AllMusic.com
– American Record Guide
– Classical Net
Visit Naxos.com for NOSPR’s full discography on Naxos.
Domenico Cimarosa was riding high on the triumphant success of Il matrimonio segreto when he embarked on the ‘commedia per musica’ Le astuzie femminili in 1794. The narrative for this opera revolves around the clever and resourceful Bellina, who devises a plan to avoid an unwanted marriage while gaining a large inheritance and marrying her love Filandro. Styled somewhere between Mozart and Rossini, Cimarosa’s witty and tender score includes deliciously comical moments such as Filandro’s outlandish Italian-German imitation of a Magyar officer. The spirited performance and lively pace of this opera buffa accounted for its acclaimed reception at the 2022 Reate Festival.
![CIMAROSA, D.: Astuzie femminili (Le) [Opera] (Reate Festival, 2022) (NTSC)](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/DYN-37989.jpg "CIMAROSA, D.: Astuzie femminili (Le) [Opera] (Reate Festival, 2022) (NTSC)")
‘The execution was flawless. Alessandro De Marchi is one of the most internationally appreciated conductors of the 18th-century repertoire and he was magnificent both for his philological rigor... and for the ductility necessary to make Cimarosa’s freedom and originality shine.’
– Il giornale della musica.it
| Bellina | Eleonora Bellocci, Soprano |
| Ersilia | Martina Licari, Soprano |
| Don Giampaolo Lasagna | Rocco Cavalluzzi, Bass |
| Don Romualdo | Matteo Loi, Bass |
| Filandro | Valentino Buzza, Tenor |
| Leonora | Angela Schisano, Alto |
| Conductor | Alessandro De Marchi |
| Director | Cesare Scarton |
| Set Designer | Michele Della Cioppa |
| Costumes Designer | Anna Biagiotti |
| Lights Designer | Andrea Tocchio |
| Video Director | Maxim Derevianko |
| Harpsichord | Diego Procoli |
Recorded live at Teatro Flavio Vespasiano, Rieti, Italy in October 2022
More audiovisual productions available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video, either for rent or digital purchase! (Selected titles may be unavailable to stream in some locations.)
More full-length videos? NaxosVideoLibrary.com brings you an extensive streaming video library of classical music performances, opera, ballet, live concerts and documentaries. Watch the world’s greatest opera houses, ballet companies, orchestras and artists perform on demand!
Until 26 November 2023, you can enjoy a fantastic 20% discount on a wide range of DVDs and Blu-rays from Opus Arte on Europadisc. Immerse yourself in the enchanting productions from esteemed ballet companies including the Royal Ballet, Scottish Ballet and Australian Ballet. Don’t miss this chance to bring the grace and beauty of ballet right into your home!
![TALBOT, J.: Like Water for Chocolate [Ballet] (Royal Ballet, 2022) (NTSC)](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/OA1366D.jpg "TALBOT, J.: Like Water for Chocolate [Ballet] (Royal Ballet, 2022) (NTSC)")
![ADÈS, T.: Dante Project (The) [Ballet] (Royal Ballet, 2021) (NTSC)](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/OA1319D.jpg "ADÈS, T.: Dante Project (The) [Ballet] (Royal Ballet, 2021) (NTSC)")
![HAMPSON, Christopher / DARRELL, Peter: Secret Theatre (The) [Ballet] (Scottish Ballet, 2020) (NTSC)](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/OA1367D.jpg "HAMPSON, Christopher / DARRELL, Peter: Secret Theatre (The) [Ballet] (Scottish Ballet, 2020) (NTSC)")
![FEENEY, P.: Cellist (The) / ASHTON, F.: The Two Pigeons [Ballets] (Royal Ballet, 2016-2020) (NTSC)](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/OA1363D.jpg "FEENEY, P.: Cellist (The) / ASHTON, F.: The Two Pigeons [Ballets] (Royal Ballet, 2016-2020) (NTSC)")
![KELLY, G.: Starstruck [Ballet] (Scottish Ballet, 2021) (NTSC)](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/OA1364D.jpg "KELLY, G.: Starstruck [Ballet] (Scottish Ballet, 2021) (NTSC)")
![MINKUS, L.: Don Quixote [Ballet] (Studio Production, 1973) (NTSC)](https://www.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/OA1350D.jpg "MINKUS, L.: Don Quixote [Ballet] (Studio Production, 1973) (NTSC)")
![ART OF VADIM MUNTAGIROV (THE) - The Sleeping Beauty / Manon / Coppélia / Giselle [Ballets] (4-DVD Box Set) (NTSC)](images/OA1359BD.png "ART OF VADIM MUNTAGIROV (THE) - The Sleeping Beauty / Manon / Coppélia / Giselle [Ballets] (4-DVD Box Set) (NTSC)")
![ART OF LAUREN CUTHBERTSON (THE) - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Romeo and Juliet / The Nutcracker [Ballets] (4-DVD Box Set) (NTSC)](images/OA1360BD.png "ART OF LAUREN CUTHBERTSON (THE) - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Romeo and Juliet / The Nutcracker [Ballets] (4-DVD Box Set) (NTSC)")
‘This new artistic adventure which was to learn, perform and record the violin sonatas by Polish composers Zygmunt Noskowski and Wladyslaw Zelenski was, for pianist Bernadene Blaha and myself, most captivating. The musical and instrumental potential the pieces embody is admirably substantial.
Both works were written in the heart of romanticism. Passionate, and yet respecting the sonata form, they often evoke a lyrical character with subtle dialogues between the instruments. These sonatas have the characteristic of being very contrasting in atmospheres and moods, moving quickly from a dramatic and fiery character, to an espiègle and a humorous one, including phrases imbued with remarkable beauty and innerness...’
– Laurence Kayaleh
Listening session!
Crazy moment in between rehearsals
Sound check & recording session
Baroque composer Pietro Locatelli wrote a series of Capricci (Caprices) for violin as part of his masterful suite of concerti known as L’arte del violino. They can be extremely challenging to play, and fiddle player Aoife Ní Bhriain felt that the Caprice she selected had a traditional feel, so she transferred it to the Hardanger violin, changing its sound world for the track Woven and explaining that ‘In fairness, the Hardanger fiddle is closer to the Baroque violin, which is what they would have been playing at the time.’ The artists took motifs from the Caprice and threaded them together to make something completely new.
This track is taken from the new album Double You by Catrin Finch and Aoife Ní Bhriain on bendigedig.
Dublin native Aoife Ní Bhriain is one of her generation’s most versatile and gifted violinists, a dazzling musician who commands both the classical world and her Irish traditional heritage. From across the Irish Sea and the west coast of Wales, harpist Catrin Finch has also built an impressive classical career and ventured into uncharted musical territory, most notably through her award-winning international collaborations with Seckou Keita and Cimarrón.
Double You, Catrin and Aoife’s debut album as a duo, features an exquisite collection of new compositions that draw inspiration from various genres, taking listeners on a captivating journey on the wings of the bees across the Irish Sea and inspired by the cultures of their home countries. Running through their stories – as individual creatives, remarkable women, and now as an inspirational duo – are universal themes of identity, self-belief and the courage to find yourself and follow your own path.
Podcast: United at Last.
2 Operas by James P Johnson.
October 20, 2023
This podcast features Raymond Bisha in conversation with conductor Kenneth Kiesler about the rediscovery, rescue and reconstruction of two operas by James P. Johnson (1894–1955). Renowned as an influential jazz pianist but with a lower profile as a composer of opera, it was Johnson’s express hope that two of his short stage works, written in the late 1930s, would one day form a double-bill. Which they did, but not until 2006, after a long swathe of tender loving care.
A hum of harmoniums?
October 13, 2023
I’m not sure what the collective noun for a group of harmoniums might be (or should that be harmonia?), but this blog will take singular appearances by the instrument in some of the repertoire housed in the Naxos group’s catalogues. Maybe you’ve come across a hand-pumped version of the instrument whilst dining to live music performed in an Indian restaurant? Or seen it featured in chapel settings for period movies? It was a popular instrument in both sacred and secular contexts until the electronic organ superseded its popularity in the 1930s. The smaller models of the instrument were portable, robust and reliable in their tuning, making them an ideal resource for itinerant Christian missionaries. The larger ones, however, had a wider range of timbres available on different stops and attracted the interest of a number of classical composers. This blog features five such works that are probably not as familiar as Rossini’s role for the instrument in his Petite Messe Solenelle, a work we’ll leave undisturbed for today.
Podcast: VOX • 2. The legacy of Maurice Abravanel.
October 6, 2023
Raymond Bisha’s second podcast featuring historic recordings on the VOX label explores those made of Tchaikovsky’s music by the Utah Symphony Orchestra under Maurice Abravanel, who was the ensemble’s music director for more than 30 years. From the performances, to the production team of Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz, the liner notes by Richard Freed, and of course Tchaikovsky’s music itself, there’s a host of engaging reasons to revisit these treasured recordings from the 1970s.
Looking for new music? Our selection of curated playlists has you covered with music to complement the season, moment, or activity! This month from Naxos, discover award-winning recordings from conductor JoAnn Falletta as part of our brand-new Naxos All-Stars playlist series, and listen to best-loved ballet works in Best of Ballet. Then, from Naxos Moods, explore some of the most relaxing works for piano in Soothing Piano, and find a moment of peace with Stillness. Explore the rich and vibrant world of Latin piano music through Grand Piano’s carefully curated Latin American Piano playlist. Happy listening!
Discover the Naxos Atmosphere playlist, a spatial experience from the Naxos world of classical music featuring Dolby Atmos technology.
Nothing Can’t Be Undone by a Hotpot is a dramatic comedy film directed by Ding Sheng, starring Yang Mi, Yu Qian, Tian Yu, Yu Kailei and Li Jiuxiao. The film tells a story of intricate calculations, hidden schemes, and the unpredictability of fate. Four individuals who are complete strangers find themselves sharing the loot in the backstage warehouse of a theatre and become unwittingly entangled in a murder case.
Watch the movie trailer and listen to the captivating and energising sounds of traditional Chinese percussion music from the album Big Gun Shooting Towards the Sky, recorded on the Marco Polo label.
Need to license some music for a project and don’t know where to start? Visit Naxos Licensing to find out how!
