September 23, 2022 New Releases from Navona and Ravello Records

This New Music Friday, Navona and Ravello Records present albums that shine a spotlight on the piano, flute, double bass, and various other instruments and orchestrations, a dynamic display of today’s classical music capabilities.

Dive in and discover new music from: Jacob E. Goodman, John A. Carollo, Hayg Boyadjian, Bruce Babcock, Sydney Hodkinson, Hans Bakker, Andy Malloy, Richard Fredrickson, Julie Scolnik, Sophie Scolnik-Brower, Karen Sunabacka, Darryl Friesen, and David Mastikosa.

SUSTAIN VOL 3 explores the capabilities of piano and organ while highlighting the varied compositional approaches of today’s composers. Influenced by the classical canon and moving in new directions, this edition pays homage to the classical composers of yesterday, while thoughtfully expressing modern personalities and ideals in a dynamic presentation of new piano repertoire.

On SOURCE GROUND, composer Hans Bakker presents rhythmically rigorous pieces for solo piano. Organ works that fill every nook and cranny of the aural spectrum, powerful orchestral works, and pieces for the rare and haunting lame-sonore draw listeners towards a sense of infinite oneness connected by music.

Trombonist Andy Malloy presents BEST OF FRIENDS, a collection of personalized pieces for trombone and piano. Rhythmically energetic passages, jazz harmonies, and more speak throughout the album, highlighting the musicianship of Malloy and the compositional dexterity of his colleagues, a musical testament to the power of collaboration.

Richard Fredrickson’s command of tone and melody creates an unforgettable recording and serves as an encapsulation of the double bass’s potential on ALL AMERICAN BASS. Joining the Slovak Radio Orchestra and conductor Kirk Trevor, the lauded virtuoso flawlessly navigates the works of Vittorio Giannini, John Carbon, and William Thomas McKinley.

The mother-daughter duo of flutist Julie Scolnik and pianist Sophie Scolnik-Brower amplify Bach’s expressiveness on J.S. BACH COMPLETE SONATAS FOR FLUTE & PIANO, swapping the usual harpsichord for piano to deepen the dynamics and phrasing, and letting the composer’s musical genius ring throughout each fluently written piece.

Wide skies, whistling winds, and a love for the great outdoors take center stage on Karen Sunabacka’s CURLICUE, a collection of eight works for solo piano performed by Darryl Friesen. Friesen’s crisp performance brings each piece to life, transporting listeners to the Canadian woodlands and prairies for an adventure all their own.

Composer David Mastikosa’s ESCAPE is the work of an ambitious young composer whose skill belies his age. ESCAPE is both an artistic triumph in its own right and an early milestone in Mastikosa’s promising career, complete with works composed in a variety of styles and arrangements.