New On Naxos | Issue: June 2026

JUNE 2026

THE WORLD OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

Adam Fischer © Szilvia Csibi (Müpa Budapest)

Franz Joseph HAYDN (1732–1809) Late Symphonies, Vol. 5 Nos. 84, 85 ‘La Reine’ and 86 Danish Chamber Orchestra Adam Fischer Haydn composed the three symphonies in this volume during the mid- 1780s in a spirit of triumph. Though still employed by the Esterházy family, he had recently been allowed to publish his music himself and to accept outside commissions. A number of symphonies were duly commissioned by a new, large ensemble recently established in Paris. Superficially similar, they reveal Haydn’s inexhaustible creativity whether in the astonishingly colourful introduction to No. 84 , the rustic interludes in the trio section of No. 85 – a favourite of Marie Antoinette, or in the greatest of the Paris symphonies, No. 86 , where the transition from the slow introduction to the main section is unequalled in his music. Key features: • Adam Fischer and the Danish Chamber Orchestra are celebrated for their recordings of music from the Classical period. Their rendition of the Haydn symphonies is especially distinguished by dynamic contrasts, clarity, and an approach reminiscent of chamber music. • Vol. 4 in this series is on 8.574519: ‘When Symphony 104 began, I said, “What’s this! Special energy. Razor-sharp ensemble and rhythm. Lively timpani.” …in Fischer’s hands, a rich outburst in this Andante outdoes the surprise in Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony’, wrote Fanfare. • ‘Articulation and phrasing are so neat and individual, solo contributions such as that of the bassoon in the slow movement of No. 93 are always engaging; little touches like the prominent col legno interjections in the finale are fun, too…All in all, this is a thoroughly enjoyable trio of mature Haydn symphonies’ ( MusicWeb International on Vol. 1, 8.574516). JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

8.574520 Release date: 12 Jun 2026

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Listen to an excerpt from Symphony No. 84 in E flat major, Hob.I:84: IV. Finale: Vivace LISTEN

Tracklist

Symphony No. 84 in E flat major, Hob.I:84 (1786) 1 I. Largo – Allegro 2 II. Andante 3 III. Menuet: Allegretto 4 IV. Finale: Vivace Symphony No. 85 in B flat major, Hob.I:85 ‘La Reine’ (1785–86) 5 I. Adagio – Vivace

Symphony No. 86 in D major, Hob.I:86 (1786) 9 I. Adagio – Allegro spirituoso

0 II. Capriccio: Largo ! III. Menuetto: Allegro @ IV. Finale: Allegro con spirito

6 II. Romanze: Allegretto 7 III. Menuetto: Allegretto 8 IV. Finale: Presto

Danish Chamber Orchestra © Toke Bjørneboe

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

About Adam Fischer, Conductor The Hungarian-born conductor Adam Fischer (b. 1949) graduated from the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest and undertook further studies in Vienna. He is much in demand within both the opera and concert repertoire and has cooperated with a great number of leading international concert halls and opera houses, including the Vienna State Opera, La Scala and The Metropolitan Opera as well as such orchestras as the Wiener Philharmoniker, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Berliner Philharmoniker. Adam Fischer has been associated with the Danish Chamber Orchestra since 1997, serving as chief conductor from 1998, where he still is a major driving force and initiator both in Denmark and internationally.

Previous volumes in the series

‘Fischer, a master orchestra handler, has led the Danish Chamber Orchestra for many years and has moulded it into an instrument extremely responsive to his ideas. … these are undoubtedly not dull performances… this release announces a new Haydn set that demands attention…’ – AllMusic.com

‘Fischer and his lithe Danish band never take a single phrase for granted, in symphonies whose familiarity can too easily lead conductors into amiable routine. The second movements are specially rewarding… Fischer constantly challenges preconceptions. …his empathy for Haydn shines out in every bar.’ – Gramophone

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‘These performances… are executed crisply and clearly… Fischer’s experience with these symphonies is apparent… his decisions seem logical and respectful… Fischer’s new recordings are satisfying supplements to a well-stocked library… and safe introductions for those discovering this music.’ – MusicWeb International

‘[Fischer’s] many admirers will be in seventh heaven, and even those more agnostic will revel in the drive and vivacity he unfailingly imparts to whatever he performs.’ – Gramophone

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JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

About Tony Banks, Composer, Piano and Celeste Tony Banks is a founding member of Genesis along with fellow Charterhouse pupils Mike Rutherford, Peter Gabriel and Anthony Phillips. After a few incarnations the band evolved further with the introduction of Phil Collins and Steve Hackett, replacing Phillips. Genesis became one of the major exponents of progressive rock music in the early Seventies. In 1975 Peter Gabriel left the band to pursue a solo career and Phil Collins replaced Gabriel as lead vocalist. Genesis went on to become one of the most commercially successful bands of the Eighties and Nineties with albums such as Duke and We Can’t Dance . Tony Banks has pioneered many unique keyboard and synthesiser sounds throughout his career. Music historian Wayne Studer referred to him as ‘the most tasteful keyboardist of prog rock’.

Tony BANKS (b. 1950) 18 Pieces for Orchestra

Famous for his role as the keyboard player in rock band Genesis and as a solo artist, Tony Banks was always fascinated by the idea of writing orchestral music. His success in composing for films led to the acclaimed Seven – A Suite for Orchestra . The intense orchestral sound pictures in Seven , Six and Five rank among some of Banks’s most accomplished recordings marrying experimentation with form and structure, and a trademark melodic character that powerfully conveys both melancholy and joy. Key features: • Tony Banks’ legendary status as keyboard player with the rock band Genesis and as a solo artist in his own right never entirely contained his restless creativity, and this collection of suites for orchestra form a body of work which has garnered wide critical acclaim. • These recordings have always been prized for their eloquent and stylish orchestrations and opulent performances from world-class soloists including Tony Banks himself playing piano and celeste in Five , alongside the renowned musicians of the London Philharmonic, City of Prague Philharmonic and Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

NAC-LP011-14 [4 LPs] Release date: 12 Jun 2026

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JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

Recommended boxed sets and collections

‘[The pieces] are never boring; they are communicative, intuitive, and, increasingly with the later pieces, imaginative.’ – American Record Guide

‘This is a huge score, lasting almost 90 minutes… All are worth hearing. Each release contains detailed notes and persuasive performances.’ – The Arts Desk

‘Beautiful works, sensitively arranged and gorgeously performed. So this is a wonderful crossover production. …they’re rendered with all of the artistry of which the singers are capable while maintaining the essential simplicity of the medium.’ – The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

‘This is a feast for Brucknerians who are interested in detail… a very useful tool to understand Bruckner… This is a fine musical and scholarly issue which speaks very highly of Naxos’s commitment to this complicated composer.’ – Musical Opinion

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

Johann Simon MAYR (1763–1845) Giuseppe Pasticcio oratorio in three acts (1829) Libretto by Alexandre Duval (1767–1842) and Franz Sales Kandler (1792–1831) Freya Apffelstaedt, Alto Konstantin Igl, Philipp Polhardt, Markus Schäfer, Fang Zhi, Tenors Micha Matthäus, Bass-baritone Giuseppe was composed by Mayr in 1829 for graduation concerts at the academy of music in Bergamo over which he presided. His inspiration was a Biblical opera that had won great popularity, Méhul’s Joseph , which had premiered in Paris in 1807, featuring prayers, hymns and unassuming arias. Mayr, however, drew on a much wider musical canvas to include grand arias, duets, a cavatina and a final chorus. He also repeatedly references popular melodies by his contemporaries Donizetti, Rossini and Bellini as befits a pasticcio oratorio. Key features: • Matthias Hoffmann, Niklas Mallmann, Basses Simon Mayr Chorus • Concerto de Bassus Franz Hauk, Director

Markus Schäfer (tenor) and Franz Hauk (conductor/organist) are key figures in the revival of composer Johann Simon Mayr’s music, frequently collaborating with the Simon Mayr Chorus and Concerto de Bassus on Naxos recordings, with Schäfer praised for his elegant handling of Mayr’s demanding tenor roles in operas such as I Cherusci and Amor non ha ritegno , and Mayr’s Masses .

8.574710 Release date: 26 Jun 2026

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Listen to an excerpt from Act I: Introduzione: Coro: Sorgi, propizia Aurora LISTEN

• Of the recent recording of the opera Telemaco (8.660388-89) Fanfare wrote: ‘Franz Hauk elicits fine playing from the period instrument ensemble, Concerto de Bassus. And, typical of Hauk’s Mayr interpretations, the music combines tonal beauty, incisive execution, and an ongoing sense of dramatic urgency’.

Simon Mayr Chorus with Concerto de Bassus © Lorenz Zieglmeier

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

About Franz Hauk, Conductor Born in Neuburg an der Donau in 1955, Franz Hauk studied church and school music, with piano and organ, at the Munich Musikhochschule and in Salzburg. In 1988 he took his doctorate with a thesis on church music in Munich at the beginning of the 19th century. From 1982 to 2021 he served as organist at Ingolstadt Minster, and since 1995 also as choirmaster. He has given concerts in Europe and the United States and made a number of recordings including several premieres of works by Johann Simon Mayr. Since October 2002 he has taught in the historical performance and church music department of the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München.

Other oratorios by Johann Simon Mayr conducted by Franz Hauk

‘Franz Hauk must be the world’s leading Mayr expert, certainly among performers… The chorus sings well… and the Ingolstadt Georgian Chamber Orchestra plays with energy and intensity.’ – Fanfare

‘The music is delightful, often touching, and artfully crafted for the voice. It’s no wonder that Mayr was so celebrated for his operas. The four soloists are all very convincing in their roles and well matched vocally. Add to that enlivened playing from Hauk’s instrumental forces, and you have a winning performance.’ – Fanfare

RECORDING OF THE MONTH

‘Maestro Hauk chose his singers very well. Mezzo Stefanie Iryáni is vulnerable yet strong as Seila, and bass Jochen Kupfer manages to be both imposing and agile as Jaddo, the High Priest.’ – American Record Guide

‘The energy never flags. Each of the five soloists is a sparkler and there’s a lilt to everyone’s phrasing, courtesy of Herr Hauk. The period orchestra performs handsomely, with 18th century touches that are, for the most part, attractive and relatively subtle.’ – American Record Guide

For the full list of Johann Simon Mayr’s discography on Naxos, visit www.naxos.com/Bio/Person/Johann_Simon_Mayr/28448

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

THE MUSIC OF BRAZIL

Camargo GUARNIERI (1907–1993) Pedro Malazarte 1 A Serra do Rola-Moça 2 Quatro Poemas de Macunaíma 3 Carolina Faria 2 , Juliana Taino 1 , Mezzo-sopranos Atalla Ayan 1, 3 , Tenor • Leonardo Neiva 1 , Baritone Coral Paulistano 1 São Paulo Municipal Symphony Orchestra Roberto Minczuk Camargo Guarnieri loved writing for the human voice, composing hundreds of vocal works over the course of his long and distinguished career. The works in this programme all use texts by Mário de Andrade – a hugely influential writer who was Guarnieri’s friend and long-term collaborator. The comic opera Pedro Malazarte is representative of an attractively unconventional and colourful Brazilian modernism that sets it apart from Romantic traditions. Alongside other powerful settings, A Serra do Rola-Moça is one of Guarnieri’s finest dramatic vocal works, narrating the tragic story of two young people who die on their wedding day as they and their horses plunge into a ravine. Key features: • This latest addition to the series presents world premiere recordings of Guarnieri’s first opera and other significant vocal works. All of the works on this recording are based on texts by Mário de Andrade (1893–1945), a renowned writer and musicologist who was the mastermind of the Brazilian modernist movement and Guarnieri’s mentor from the very beginning. • Other works by Guarnieri in ‘The Music of Brazil’ series include two volumes of his Chôros (8.574197 and 8.574403), described in BBC Music Magazine as ‘truly vivacious music with a great sense of drama… a celebratory treat’, and with a MusicWeb International reviewer adding that ‘I can honestly say I have never been disappointed by any of Guarnieri’s music that I have heard and I would strongly urge anyone with an interest – however fleeting – in Latin American or 20th-century concertante or symphonic music to seek out any of his works. They really are that good’.

8.660528 Release date: 26 Jun 2026

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Listen to an excerpt from Pedro Malazarte: Companheiro, minha terra é esta mesma LISTEN Tracklist 1 – 9 Pedro Malazarte (1932, rev. 1943) * 0 A Serra do Rola-Moça (1941) * ! Rondó do eco e do descorajado (1949) (version for voice and strings) ** @ Louvação do amor êtê (1944) * # – ^ Quatro Poemas de Macunaíma (1948 # , 1931 $ – ^ ) ** All sung texts by Mário de Andrade (1893–1945) * FIRST COMMERCIAL RECORDING ** FIRST RECORDING OF ARRANGEMENT

São Paulo Municipal Symphony Orchestra

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

About Roberto Minczuk, Conductor Roberto Minczuk has been artistic director of the Campos do Jordão International Winter Festival, associate artistic director of the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo (Osesp), artistic director of the Theatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro, and principal conductor of the Orquestra Sinfônica de Ribeirão Preto, being the first artist to receive the ConcertArte Award from Ribeirão Preto. Minczuk won a Latin GRAMMY Award and was nominated for an American GRAMMY Award for the album Jobim Sinfônico . He is currently principal conductor of the OSM, conductor emeritus of the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira, of which he was principal conductor from 2005 to 2015, and conductor emeritus of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in Canada.

The Music of Brazil series

‘The performances are excellent, from both soloists and orchestra; it is clear that this music genuinely enthuses Isaac Karabtchevsky.’ – Gramophone

‘These are gripping performances of both works. This is another great release from the “Music of Brazil” series and an important entry in Prado’s recorded legacy.’ – American Record Guide

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Remy Franck’s Journal about Classical Music

‘I have so enjoyed discovering Guarnieri’s music. This second volume of his Choros serves up what are essentially concertos for clarinet, piano, viola and cello. It’s truly vivacious music with a great sense of drama, while the additional Flor de Tremembé

‘These performances are all that could be desired. Fabio Martino’s piano playing is fluent, virtuosic, and limpid when required. The São Paulo Symphony maintains its position as Brazil’s top orchestra; Guerrero’s proficiency and sensitivity as a conductor are fully on display. …Without question, this is one of the leading releases in this ongoing series.’ – Fanfare

is a celebratory treat.’ – BBC Music Magazine

THE RECORD GEIJUTSU

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Remy Franck’s Journal about Classical Music

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Visit the ‘Music of Brazil’ mini-site www.naxos.com/ECard/Music-of-Brazil

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS Richard STRAUSS (1864–1949) Intermezzo A bourgeois comedy with symphonic interludes in two acts (1924) Libretto by the composer Maria Bengtsson, Nadine Secunde, Anna Schoeck, Sopranos Clemens Bieber, Thomas Blondelle, Tenors Markus Brück, Philipp Jekal, Baritones Elliott Woodruff, Actor Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin Sir Donald Runnicles Richard Strauss summed up his two-act opera Intermezzo as a ‘bourgeois comedy with symphonic interludes’. The soprano role of Christine with its shimmering cantilenas represents Strauss’s wife Pauline, while the successful Kapellmeister Robert Storch serves as Richard Strauss himself in a domestic drama that was avant- garde for its time but now resonates with the accessibility of today’s reality shows. This production from the Deutsche Oper Berlin was acclaimed for its lush orchestral sound and superbly characterful cast led by a formidable central performance from Maria Bengtsson. Key features: • This Deutsche Oper Berlin production from 2024 (Naxos DVD 2.110780 and Blu-ray NBD0188V) was received with wide critical acclaim: Maria Bengtsson gives a commanding account of the impulsive Christine, by no means strident or hectoring, but with formidable control and purpose which articulates her predicament of frustrated agency. • Philipp Jekal is an often stern-sounding Robert, making him here the somewhat neglectful, career-driven husband rather than the patient, forbearing one of (Strauss’s own) libretto. • Thomas Blondelle affects a certain wilful naivete and charm as Lummer, as he seeks to ingratiate his way into Christine’s favour. • Vivid, more expressly burlesque performances are given by Anna Schoeck , as the maid Anna, and Markus Brück and Nadine Secunde as the Notary and his wife. Clemens Bieber is a characterful Stroh’ ( ClassicalSource.com ).

8.660584-85 Release date: 12 Jun 2026

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Listen to an excerpt from Act I: Scene 1 (a): Vor der Abreise des Mannes: Anna! Anna! Wo bleibt denn nur die dumme Gans? LISTEN

Maria Bengtsson Christine

Philipp Jekal Robert Storch

Thomas Blondelle Baron Lummer

Anna Schoeck Anna

Markus Brück Notary

Nadine Secunde Wife of the Notary

Clemens Bieber Stroh

Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin © Bernd Uhlig

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

About Donald Runnicles, Conductor Sir Donald Runnicles has built his reputation on enduring relationships with several of the world’s most significant opera companies and orchestras over his 45-year career. He is especially celebrated for his interpretations of Romantic and post-Romanic repertoire, which are core to his musical identity. The 2025/26 season marks both his final season as music director of Deutsche Oper Berlin (since 2009), as well as his first season as the chief conductor of the Dresdner Philharmonie. He also serves as music director of the Grand Teton Music Festival, and as the principal guest conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Chief artistic leadership roles include the San Francisco Opera (1992–2008), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (2009–16), Orchestra of St. Luke’s (2001–07), and principal guest conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (2001–23).

Other recommended recordings

‘Strauss’s lushly romantic scores will delight sweet-toothed listeners, especially in such intelligent and captivating interpretations. The very accomplished orchestra and its charismatic conductor are captured in exemplary sound.’ – MusicWeb International

‘The performance by JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, again beautifully recorded, really hits the spot and does full justice to the special melodic sound- world of Strauss. The words opulent and passionate readily spring to mind.’ – MusicWeb International

Remy Franck’s Journal about Classical Music

NOMINEE FOR RECORDING OF THE YEAR

CRITIC’S CHOICE

‘Perfectly rehearsed and cleverly realised on stage, Tobias Kratzer’s staging for the Deutsche Oper Berlin uses Rainer Sellmaier’s sparse but to the point designs… the orchestral interludes show the virtuoso orchestra in the pit.’ – BBC Music Magazine

‘This recording celebrates both the 40th anniversary of the Orchestre National de Lille and the 50th year of Jean-Claude Casadesus’s career. Ein Heldenleben is rather French then German, refined and relaxed, replacing the big and opulent sound by transparency, fine nuances and contrast.’ – Pizzicato

‘Closely listened to, they prove full of ingenuity and character – Strauss’s as much as Couperin’s. And the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra under Jun Märkl deliver them with the gravity, levity, intensity, serenity and energy they variously invite, in a clear and concert-like recorded perspective.’ – BBC Music Magazine

Carl TEIKE (1864–1922) Marches, Vol. 3 Neue Kameraden • Internationaler Marsch Sorgenbrecher The Royal Swedish Navy Band Alexander Hanson Famous for composing one of the world’s greatest marches, Alte Kameraden (available on Volume 1 in this series, 8.574317), Carl Teike wrote a body of works that have enriched the German concert march repertoire. They imbue the medium with both diversity and charisma marrying thematic invention with clarity of structure and richness of tone colours. For the 43rd anniversary of his death, a 1918 march was disinterred, and named Neue Kameraden , while Sorgenbrecher is a tribute from Teike to his contemporary, the admired composer Paul Lincke. This is the final volume in the series. Key features: • This release is the last of three volumes. Vol. 2 in this series is on 8.574318: ‘My favourite in this set of 18 is the opener, Graf Zeppelin… It is dignified and stout, and it has a beautiful euphonium part. Teike’s marches are tuneful and cheerful. All have a prominently thumping bass drum and cymbal, and all (except for the lyrical introduction to Frisch auf ) are taken at the exact same tempo’ ( American Record Guide ). • Vol. 1 is on 8.574317: ‘ The Royal Swedish Navy Band taps into this spirit with professional renditions that are crisp and balanced, with assured dynamic contrast. Woodwinds are snappy yet graceful; brass are assertive yet tasteful; and the percussion submit the rhythmic heartbeat with a touch of colour’ ( American Record Guide ). JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

8.574610 Release date: 26 Jun 2026

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Listen to an excerpt from Deutsche Art LISTEN

Tracklist

1 Sieges-Festmarsch (arr. Erich Gutzeit [1898–1973]) 2 Deutsche Art (arr. Sture Lundén [dates unknown]) 3 Fahnengruβ *

@ Mit vollen Segeln (arr. Anders Karlsson [b. 1957]) # Schlecht und Recht * $ Wieder Daheim % Durchhalten * ^ Neue Kameraden * & Die alte Garde * Ein Hoch der Aviatik * ( In Freundschaft und Treue * ) Internationaler Marsch *

4 Jung Deutschland * 5 Junge Kameraden 6 Krieg und Sieg * 7 Friedensbanner * 8 Friedensfeier * 9 Fürchte nichts! * 0 In Freud und Leid ! Kopf hoch

¡ Kameradentreue * ™ Sorgenbrecher * £ Hohenstaufen Marsch (arr. E. Gutzeit)

* arr. Hans Ahrens [1930–2014]

The Royal Swedish Navy Band © Jenny Leyman

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

About Alexander Hanson, Conductor Alexander Hanson began his musical career at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm where he studied trumpet. He received his education as a conductor at the renowned Sibelius Academy in Helsinki where he studied with Leif Segerstam, graduating with honours in 2004. Hanson is a regular guest conductor of most of the leading orchestras in Scandinavia. In recent years he has led various European orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Filharmonie Brno, Tonkünstler-Orchester and Essener Philharmoniker. His discography includes recordings with ensembles such as the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Göteborg Wind Orchestra and the symphony orchestras of Gothenburg, Norrköping, Malmö and Gävle. Hanson has been the musical director of The Royal Swedish Navy Band since 2018.

Recommended band music releases

‘The Royal Swedish Navy Band under Alexander Hanson now presents a first selection of the marches… the marches are given a warm sound… Technically, the playing of the Navy Band is of the highest quality.’ – Pizzicato

‘[Childs’] technical skills are superb, as witness most of the pieces on his album – especially an amazingly fast and clean “Flight of the Bumblebee”. For variety, several song-like pieces are included and show Childs’s thick, very dark tenor-tuba tone to full advantage.’ – American Record Guide

‘Teike’s marches are tuneful and cheerful. All have a prominently thumping bass drum and cymbal, and all (except for the lyrical introduction to “Frisch auf”) are taken at the exact same tempo.’ – American Record Guide

‘There is still nothing not to like about it. Brion… emphasizes details we have never noticed before… And then, of course, he gives us a thrill when he finally unleashes that pent-up enthusiasm.’ – American Record Guide

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

Franz LISZT (1811–1886) Complete Piano Music, Vol. 69 Choral Transcriptions Michael Kaykov, Piano

A central expression of Franz Liszt’s multifaceted creativity was his lifelong engagement with transcription and transformation, using the piano as a medium capable of absorbing the sonorities, gestures and emotional weight of voices and orchestras alike. From the declamatory strength and driving rhythms of the earlier Schnitterchor aus dem Entfesselten Prometheus to various late meditations on An die Künstler , these works trace Liszt’s artistic evolution from the assertive rhetoric of his early maturity to the compressed, exploratory language of his final years. Key features: • Our ongoing Franz Liszt Piano Edition is already an internationally recognised reference for his greatest works as well as for less frequently performed early versions, transcriptions and other rarities. International Piano declared that ‘scholars will pounce on this release’ with regard to Vol. 53 (Naxos 8.573773), which was also considered ‘first-rate’ and with ‘excellent sound’ by MusicWeb International . • Vol. 54 (8.574059) was singled out as ‘particularly interesting’ by Gramophone , and ‘excellent’ by the American Record Guide , which also recommended the Opera Transcriptions of Vol. 61 (8.574545), remarking that, ‘despite the piano being a percussion instrument, [Martin Cousin] brings out the singing tone of these vocal melodies’.

8.574714 Release date: 12 Jun 2026

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Listen to an excerpt from Trois Chansons, S510a: No. 1. La Consolation LISTEN

Tracklist

1 Schnitterchor aus dem

9 Schlummerlied von C.M. von Weber mit Arabesken, S454/R287 (1848) 0 Fanfare zur Enthüllung des Carl-Augusts Monument, S542b (1875) ! La Charité de Rossini, S552a (1847) (first version) @ La carità di Rossini, S552b (after 1848) (facilitated version) # Album-Leaf in D flat major, S167q ‘Schlusschor des Entfesselten Prometheus ’ (1883) $ – * Album-Leaf in B major, S166t/1–5 ‘An die Künstler’ (c. 1870) * ( Album-Leaf, S167c (1860s)

Entfesselten Prometheus , S507a (1850) (first version of S508) Entfesselten Prometheus ), S508/R199 (1861)

2 Pastorale (Schnitterchor aus dem

3 Gaudeamus igitur, Humoreske, S509/R200 (1869–70) 4 Marche héroïque, S510/R201 (1848) 5 – 7 Trois Chansons, S510a (1852) 8 Heroide für das Pianoforte von F. Liszt nach C.M. von Webers Leier und Schwert , S452/R285 (1848)

* WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS ^ & *

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

About Michael Kaykov, Piano American pianist and educator Dr Michael Kaykov studied at the Mannes School of Music with Jerome Rose, The Juilliard School with Jerome Lowenthal, and finished his dissertation at the Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of Dr Edward Green. Kaykov has appeared as a soloist throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, with recent engagements including a series of Liszt recitals devoted to rarely heard works. The third album of his Liszt series on Odradek Records was issued in April 2024 with favourable reviews in Fanfare magazine and MusicWeb International . Kaykov is a Steinway & Sons educational partner, and on the faculty at the Harlem School of the Arts (NYC).

Previous volumes in the series

APR 2026

‘I’m in awe. …Recorded in 2024, this album captures the mastery of the great Scherbakov – a pianist, please excuse me, over 60 years young. And young and youthful his playing is – an incredible superhuman feat. …The execution of these pieces is on the highest virtuosic level. …What a joy to listen to!’ – American Record Guide

‘Williamson’s genius is that he plays these arrangements of mostly orchestral pieces as if they were always piano pieces – that is, he’s always pianistic, not symphonic, and he rarely emulates the orchestra. …This is a master class in Lisztian piano style and another winner for Naxos’s venerable series now entering its 30th year.’ – American Record Guide

‘[Williams] plays superlatively, negotiating the many difficulties with ease… this is a brilliant recording of some rarely heard Liszt all played splendidly by Christopher Williams.’ – MusicWeb International

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

Felix DRAESEKE (1835–1913) Romantic Piano, Vol. 9 Piano Works Sonata quasi Fantasia • Two Piano Pieces Zwei Fantasiestücke in Walzerform • Petite histoire Vladimir Aćimović, Piano Felix Draeseke’s early affiliation with the music of Liszt and Wagner permeated his own compositions of the period, not least his Sonata quasi fantasia in C sharp minor , a work of sumptuous Wagnerian candour as well as balletic lightness. It also marked a significant turning-point from a revolutionary style to something more conservative. As Liszt wrote to him, ‘Since Schumann’s F sharp minor sonata, I know of no more such significant work of this genre.’ The programme also includes a virtuoso Grande Fantaisie , two characterful Fantasiestücke and Chopin-like gestures in the Valse-Nocturne . Key features: • Vladimir Aćimović laureate of international competitions, has won top prizes at the Robert Schumann International Piano Competition in Düsseldorf, Arthur Rubinstein in Memoriam Competition, Young Virtuoso Competition, the EMCY Award among others. • He was a finalist at the Ferruccio Busoni and New York International Piano Competitions and participated in the 19th International Chopin Piano Competition. He has performed across Europe and the United States, including Dortmund Konzerthaus, Vienna State Opera, Bulgaria Hall, Schumann Hall and Harris Hall.

8.574675 Release date: 26 Jun 2026

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Listen to an excerpt from Sonata quasi Fantasia in C sharp minor, Op. 6: III. Finale: Allegro con brio LISTEN Tracklist Sonata quasi Fantasia in C sharp minor, Op. 6 (1862–67) 1 I. Introduzione e Marcia funebre 2 II. Intermezzo (Valse-Scherzo) 3 III. Finale: Allegro con brio 4 Grande Fantaisie sur La Dame blanche , Opéra de Boieldieu, Op. 8 (1866) Zwei Fantasiestücke in Walzerform, Op. 3 (1862) 5 No. 1. Vivace, ma non troppo 6 No. 2. Molto vivace Petite histoire, Op. 9 (1868) 7 No. 1. Rêve de bonheur 8 No. 2. Intermezzo 9 No. 3. Incertitude Two Piano Pieces, Op. 5 (1867?) 0 No. 1. Valse-Nocturne in E major ! No. 2. Valse-Scherzo in C sharp minor

Felix DRAESEKE Rêve de nonheur * Only available for download and streaming

9.40585 * Release date: 29 May 2026

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

About Vladimir Aćimović, Piano Named the ‘most promising young artist’ in Serbia by the ArtLink Foundation, pianist Vladimir Aćimović (b. 2002, Niš) has performed in all the major venues of his home country, and is a frequent guest on national broadcasting channels. He has received fellowships from the Academy of Music in Liechtenstein, the Mozart Gesellschaft Dortmund and the Aspen Music Festival and School. Aćimović has won top prizes at the International Robert Schumann Piano Competition, the International Competition for Young Pianists Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam, the International Competition ‘Young Virtuoso’ and the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth (EMCY) Award, among others. A finalist of the Ferruccio Busoni and New York International Piano Competitions, he also participated in the 19th International Chopin Piano Competition.

Previous releases in the Romantic Piano series

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UPERSONIC S

‘The young Spanish pianist Maria Linares does full justice to this character. She emphasizes the romantic character, passion, and virtuosity [of the music] just as well as she is able to bring the poetic pieces to life in her internalized interpretation. Her piano sound is beautifully

‘Andrew Cannestra is a new name to me but I was thrilled and beguiled by his vivid playing. His bold playing is perfect for the grandeur of the sonata and the brilliance of the dances while finding delicacy and a fluent singing line in the barcarolle. This is a lovely disc in this enterprising series.’ – MusicWeb International

‘Throughout the recital, pianist Elizabeth Haughan proves herself an exceptional guide: her pacing is extraordinary, her playing always sensitive, and she brings out the drama inherent in every pause, every accent, and each harmonic twist and turn.’ – Fanfare

Remy Franck’s Journal about Classical Music

round and warm.’ – Pizzicato

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

Virgile Barthe Guitar Laureate Recital Winner 2025 Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) Competition BOGDANOVIĆ • BUXTEHUDE • MAW • MENDELSSOHN • SCARLATTI Virgile Barthe, Guitar Virgile Barthe, winner of the 2025 Guitar Foundation of America Competition, presents works ranging from the Baroque to the 21st century performed with his impeccable virtuosity and artistry. This recital takes us from arrangements of Domenico Scarlatti’s deeply expressive sonatas and Buxtehude’s brilliant Suite , to the lyrical Songs without Words of Mendelssohn and the haunting Music of Memory by Nicholas Maw. The album closes with Dušan Bogdanović’s Third Sonata , a truly virtuoso piece with its quotes from Stravinsky and musical influences from the Balkans, jazz and the Virgile Barthe’s substantial programme brings together an entire universe of diverse sonorities and stylistic variety, exploring the true nature of the classical guitar’s versatile character. This recording includes both transcriptions and original compositions for the guitar, providing an authentic representation of what most audience members demand from a modern recital. • Known for his mastery of technique and deep emotional expression, Virgile Barthe is a highly skilled and innovative classical guitarist whose unique blend of classical tradition and modern interpretation has captivated audiences worldwide. He has participated in and won several international guitar competitions, including First Prize and the Audience Prize at the 2023 Paris Guitar Competition and, as can be heard on this release, has a wide repertoire that spans from the Baroque period to Romantic and contemporary compositions. Renaissance. Key features: •

8.579192 Release date: 12 Jun 2026

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Listen to an excerpt from BUXTEHUDE, D.: Suite, BuxWV 236: III. Sarabande LISTEN

Tracklist

Domenico SCARLATTI (1685–1757) 1 Keyboard Sonata, K.491/L.164/P.484 (arr. D. Russell, 2000) 2 Keyboard Sonata, K.213/L.108/P.288 (arr. C. Giuliani, 1994) 3 Keyboard Sonata, K.492/L.14/P.443 (arr. G. Abiton, pub. 2011) Dieterich BUXTEHUDE (c. 1637–1707) 4 – 7 Suite, BuxWV 236 (arr. J. Bream, 1967)

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809–1847) 8 – 9 Songs without Words, Book 1, Op. 19b (1829–32) (excerpts) 0 Songs without Words, Book 2, Op. 30 – No. 6, MWV U110 ‘Venetian Gondola Song’ (1833–34) (arr. V. Barthe, 2025) Nicholas MAW (1935–2009) ! Music of Memory (1991) Dušan BOGDANOVIĆ (b. 1955) @ – % Guitar Sonata No. 3 (2010)

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

About Virgile Barthe, Guitar Virgile Barthe began his formal musical education at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Toulouse, where he graduated under the guidance of Benoît Albert, following early studies with Samuel Chicharro. He is currently completing a Master’s degree at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris with Judicaël Perroy, after receiving mentorship from Gabriel Bianco and Olivier Chassain. Barthe has garnered international recognition via numerous prestigious competitions: in 2024 he was awarded First Prize at the International Guitar Competition Maurizio Biasini, which led to his debut as a soloist alongside the Sinfonieorchester Basel, and in 2025 he received First Prize at both the Koblenz International Guitar Competition and the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) Competition.

Guitar Laureate series – Previous GFA Competition winners

‘This centrepiece in the programme is rarely heard, and Peretic uses subtle, sensitive phrasing. The brilliant finale, composed using the guitar’s fireworks much like other composers of the period, is handled effectively by Peretić.’ – American Record Guide

‘As one listens to Johan Smith play, it’s manifestly obvious why he won the 2019 GFAC. Here is a tremendously gifted guitarist and musical artist, and his Naxos album… compels hearing by all guitar lovers.’ – Fanfare

GRAMOPHONE CHOICE

‘Smooth, clear phrasing and sensitivity to the nuances of the music make these preludes a joy to hear… Byun’s performance of each one is immaculate.’ – American Record Guide

‘This expansive programme, encompassing Rameau to Rachmaninoff, flaunts his virtuoso technique and elegant phrasing, both of which well-exceed his 23 years.’ – WQXR (New York)

CRITIC’S CHOICE

JUNE 2026 NEW ON NAXOS

Wen Ma and Zijian Wei

Fryderyk CHOPIN (1810–1849) César FRANCK (1822–1890) Cello and Piano Works Wen Ma, Cello Zijian Wei, Piano

This album presents a refined dialogue between cello and piano, featuring classic works by Fryderyk Chopin and César Franck. Performed by distinguished cellist Wen Ma and pianist Zijian Wei, winner of the 2024 Cleveland International Piano Competition, the album reflects the performers’ deep affinity for this classical repertoire. Throughout the recording, the dialogue between cello and piano is infused with a lingering romantic resonance. Key features: • As a well-known cellist both at home and abroad, Wen Ma has consistently made a deep impression on people with her exquisite, profound and richly expressive performances since she was a student. With her impeccable performance, she won the ‘Highest Special Award’ in the Second National Cello Competition. After she started teaching, she obtained a DAAD scholarship to study at the Rostock University of Music and Theatre for further study and graduated with a full score, obtaining a master’s degree and a doctor’s degree. • Zijian Wei has achieved remarkable distinctions, including the First Prize in the 2017 Changjiang Cup National University Piano Competition, the Grand Prize in the Professional Category of the 2018 Huanglong Music Season Piano Competition, the First Prize in the 2018 Jianfa Gulangyu International Piano Competition, and the Third Prize in the 76th Geneva International Music Competition, as well as the receipt of the ROSE-MARIE HUGUENIN Award in 2022.

9.70410 * Release date: 12 Jun 2026

* Only available for download and streaming

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Other works for cello and piano

‘These two fine players make this an enjoyable release… They work together with notable balance and virtuosity, and I can recommend this release with no reservations.’ – American Record Guide

‘Chamber gems by the Italian composer… The lyrical Sonatina, composed there in 1946, receives a premiere recording here and is a delight among many.’ – BBC Music Magazine A RCHI Bimestrale di Cultura e Informazione per Strumentisti ad Arco

A madeus

‘Each track is sensitively crafted, with beauty of tone paramount and a warm, closely recorded sound… O’Connor’s high notes shine… while Peregrine’s solos at the beginning and end sound as expressive as a human voice.’ – The Strad

‘For the duration of all four works, I was totally engrossed by the duo’s warm, keenly articulated playing style, in the two sets of variations as much as in the sonatas.’ – Gramophone

Das Klassik- & Jazz-Magazin

‘Cassadó’s Requiebros gets things off to a passionate start, with an irresistible ebb and flow to tempo and dynamics. …Yablonsky projects a wide range of tone with subtlety and control.’ – BBC Music Magazine

‘The performances throughout are excellent, as is the recorded sound.’ – MusicWeb International

‘Hearing the songs of both composers without the texts, and played with such attention to contour and gradation, reminds us just how masterly and diverse both composers were in their art of the solo song …this is an ideal collection to while away the summer evenings.’ – Gramophone

‘This performance by Dmitrii Khrychev and Olga Solovieva is both subtle and lyrically persuasive, highlighting the innate classical elegance of the work.’ – The Strad

Remy Franck’s Journal about Classical Music

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Remy Franck’s Journal about Classical Music

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