Naxos Blog - Latest Comments

Re: Naxos Releases Chamber Masterworks of Ge Gan-Ru

raymond_bisha — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:41:40 -0000

Thanks for your comment. Ge Gan-ru was fascinating to talk to. He has an amazing life story, and it's wonderful to see that he has gotten through it all with both his determination and sense of humour in tact.

Re: Podcast: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Arranged for Solo Piano

raymond_bisha — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:40:00 -0000

Hi David, Thanks for the note. We have been having a few problems with uploading the regular podcasts. I hope to have that cleared up shortly.

Re: Podcast: Alan Hovhaness - Symphony No. 63 “Loon Lake”

raymond_bisha — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:39:05 -0000

Thanks for your comment, from your address it looks like you are at a marina somewhere. That may be the perfect place to listen to this symphony.

Raymond

Re: Naxos Releases Chamber Masterworks of Ge Gan-Ru

Traveller_Adventure — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:16:16 -0000

What I can say is very nice and helpful as well as informative post...really help me

very much more!! Thanks..
Cheers,
backyard gardening

Re: Podcast: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Arranged for Solo Piano

David Carlton — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:39:25 -0000

The latest episode isn't showing up in the iTunes Store feed, for some reason, though I do see it in the other two feeds? Hmm, maybe I'll just use that as an excuse to switch over to the Enhanced feed.

Re: Podcast: Alan Hovhaness - Symphony No. 63 “Loon Lake”

yellow125 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:15:07 -0000

The Loon lake is really one of the most relaxing symphony I had heard, well we often used it when we are camping it is really relaxing.

Re: Podcast: Northern Winds with the Toronto Wind Orchestra

Music Development — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:48:17 -0000

Thanx for the info. Really appreciate it

Re: Podcast: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Arranged for Solo Piano

raymond_bisha — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:07:02 -0000

Hi Gene, Thanks for the comment. You are right, these two gentlemen really are something special. Thanks for listening and taking the time to comment.

Re: Podcast: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Arranged for Solo Piano

gene — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:59:00 -0000

this is way beyond my expetations of anything that I have ever heard... these two artists are a blessing and gift from the heavens.

Re: Why I LOVE Spaghetti Vol. 1: Musical Tales of the West that NEVER Was

J. Walter Puppybreath — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:52:04 -0000

@ Don R.
He's talking about the score for film 'The Big Gundown', the Italian title being 'La Resa Dei Conti'.

Re: Why I LOVE Spaghetti Vol. 1: Musical Tales of the West that NEVER Was

Don R. — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:37:22 -0000

Minor correction (unless you are an Ennio Morricone fan): La resa dei Conti is from For A Few Dollars More and is subtitled "60 Seconds to What?". "Fur Elise"? Right composer, wrong piece. Try Toccata and Fugue in D Minor for a closer match. Otherwise, I do agree that the Spaghetti albums are great.

Re: Gin and Tonic Chords

raymond bisha — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:43:47 -0000

I love Sean's comments, the trends he talks about having been going on here in Toronto for quite some time. The movement began years ago with classical music presenting concerts in many of the city churches - only the best acoustic spaces in the city - and has developed from there.

I was just looking over the online concert listings at the Wholenote Magazine website (www.thewholenote.com) and the variety is pretty amazing. Everything from musicals and straight ahead classical concerts, to performances at The Music Gallery ... Jazz Vespers at Christ Church Deer Park ... Indian and Ukranian dance performances ... not to mention incredible programs put on by the Art of Time Ensemble.

Just like in New York, classical music is now moving into clubs and alterative performance spaces such as the Transac Club, Wychwood Barns, Gallery 345 and Lula Lounge ... and not a minute too soon.

For one thing, I love the idea of being able to enjoy a pint while listening to great music - including classical and contemporary, and these venues completely change the relationship between audience and performers. It becomes direct. Very direct. A nice antidote to the "classical performance traditions" from a hundred years ago that were accepted as the norm for too long.

After all, why should every other kind of music enjoy that direct connection with the audience, and not classical?

Re: Podcast: An Interview with Peter Breiner (Extra)

Michael Matheny — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:08:35 -0000

Raymond.. Another fascinating interview. The podcasts with conductors such as this one with Breiner and the recent Falleta interview are so rich in their contribution and interpretation. I appreciate having the opportunity to hear in their own voice what they want us to know about the works they engage. The interviews increase the human aspect of their participation and their dedication to the classics as well as a better understanding of the composers. I am left with the desire to to sit with Breiner and a few friends over a cup of coffee... to listen and absorb. drmike of radioIO CLASSICAL

Re: Podcast: Passaggi Featuring The Hartt School Wind Ensemble

Tim Watkins — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 06:32:57 -0000

Firstly, thank you for being the only major label to release great wind band
music on a consistent basis. I am a band director and besides buying your CD
releases for my own enjoyment (both orchestral and band), I use them as
reference recordings and examples of fine musicianship with my students. As a
result of listening to Raymond Bisha's podcasts, I have purchased 6 Naxos CDs
since Christmas and my family and friends have purchased your releases as well.
I thoroughly enjoy Mr. Bisha's love for his work and emplore you to continue to
employ him in this capacity.

Thank you again for the music.

Re: Podcast: An Introduction to Vittorio Giannini

Mike — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:32:06 -0000

Loved it. Bought it immediately. Well done Raymond.

Re: Podcast: An Interview With Susie Napper

raymond_bisha — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:06:06 -0000

Hi Alec, I'm glad you liked the podcast. I find the sound of the gamba almost seductive, especially the way Susie Napper and Margaret Little play. The instrument has a kind of expressiveness most often associated with the human voice - for me it has that kind of quality.

Raymond

Re: Podcast: An Interview With Susie Napper

DCListener — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:35 -0000

Thanks so much for Viola di Gamba podcast - never heard of (a) the composer or
(b) the performer, and knew nothing about (c) the instrument. I fell in love
with the music, and promptly bought the disc on iTunes and have been unable to
stop playing!

Re: Podcast: Rachmaninov Vespers, Academy of Choral Arts, Moscow

raymond_bisha — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:25:21 -0000

Friedrich, Thanks for your wonderful email, I'm honoured to have someone with such extensive classical music knowledge enjoying my podcasts. The Rachmaninov Vespers have been a favourite of mine for a long, long time. After a few seconds of the piece, I find myself transported to another place and time.

Thanks again for the note, I look forward to sharing my upcoming podcasts with you.

Raymond

Re: Podcast: Rachmaninov Vespers, Academy of Choral Arts, Moscow

Kuhlau — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:31:45 -0000

Raymond, I can't believe that as someone who owns well over 350 Naxos titles, it took me until last night to discover your podcast series and download the 46 that are currently available. I listened to three or four of them until quite late, the last one being this one on Rachmaninov's All-night Vigil - my favourite work in all classical music.

Thanks to your podcast, I've been able to add this Delos release (as a download from Classics Online) to the 22 other recordings I have of this work. And while it doesn't knock Sveshnikov's incredible 1965 premiere recording on Melodiya off of my top spot, it's certainly up there among the first five I'd recommend to anyone.

Keep up the great work, and I'll keep listening. I'm now subscribed to the Enhanced Shows, so I won't miss them as they're released.

FK

Re: Podcast: An Interview With Jose Serebrier

raymond_bisha — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:20:03 -0000

Hi Darell, No idea at all. I just googled Rose Panieri and found nothing. I will keep looking and let you know if I find something.

Raymond

Re: Podcast: Kronos plays Holmgreen

lovemp4 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:34:29 -0000

The podcast includes a full-length interview with the composer. Really interesting. I want to get one and check about this.

Re: Podcast: An Interview With Per Norgard

Peter Woolf — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:03:46 -0000

Delighted to have reached this Norgard podcast and I am linking to it in my review of the marvellous new DACAPO CD on my Review Website MusicalPointers.co.uk.
I have long admired Norgard & a particular memory was of his talking illuminatingly about his infinite series at London's Almeida Festival where he was featured - but rarely heard in UK nowadays.
Listening to this podcast spares me trying to find words myself for these amazingly rich symphonies; and Jorgen Jensen does so very well in his liner notes.
Whilst commenting, I wonder if my most recent Scandinavian discovery, Lasse Thoresen, is a musical friend of Norgard's? His music was my discovery of 2008; see article Lasse Thoresen & musical insularity (which applies to Norgard too):- http://www.musicalpointers.co.uk/articles/gener...
Dr Peter Woolf (Editor Musical Pointers UK)

Re: Podcast: An Introduction to Vittorio Giannini

vinko — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:58:58 -0000

We are glad that you enjoyed Raymond's latest episode.

If you can't wait to hear the CD, you may like to try accessing the full CD by subscribing to either Naxos.com or NaxosMusicLibrary.com. The latter will give you additional features like: Custom Playlist and Uninterrupted Playback of the full album

Re: Podcast: An Introduction to Vittorio Giannini

Louie Bourland — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:09:51 -0000

Thank you so much for this podcast. Once again, I have discovered a brilliant 'new' composer thanks to Naxos. I just placed an order for this CD and can hardly wait to hear it. Thanks again and keep up the great work, Raymond.

Re: Podcast: Music from the Republic of Georgia

raymond_bisha — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:01:50 -0000

Thanks for your email. The first string piece is by the Georgian composer Sulkhan Tsintsadze. Its one of his Minatures, # 1, called Lale. It comes from the CD Caucasian Impressions, Naxos catalogue number 8.570324.