February 12, 2021 New Releases from Navona and Big Round Records

It’s New Music Friday and we’re proud to introduce the latest from Navona and Big Round Records.

Dive in and discover a new choral album from multi-Grammy winners The Crossing; chamber works from Carl Vollrath, Sarah Wallin-Huff, Herb Deutsch, Kenneth A. Kuhn, Carol Barnett, and Philippe Kocher; music for virginal from Charles Metz; and singles from Jordan VanHemert and  Rosśa Crean.

On THE TOWER AND THE GARDEN, the multi-GRAMMY winning choir The Crossing and conductor Donald Nally ponder the fragility of the earth, the awe of nature, and the power of language to unite, or divide, society.

LOCK & KEY VOL II is the second presentation of five composers drawing from the well of inspiration – in highly heterogeneous ways and from a plethora of sources, yet all united by a common theme: the profound depths of the human experience. The pieces all revel exuberantly: in the natural beauty of Iceland, the nostalgia evoked by a distantly familiar melody, the random augury of a deck of tarot cards, late 19th Century anthems adapted for woodwind quintet, or the kinetic energy of musical gestures. Confidently asserting that all facets and walks of life can be a source of music if you listen closely enough, LOCK & KEY VOL II features brand-new chamber works by Sarah Wallin-Huff, Herbert Deutsch, Kenneth Kuhn, Carol Barnett, and Philippe Kocher.

Navona Records is proud to release TRANSIT VOICES from composer Carl Vollrath. Featuring a series of works for clarinet, the album grapples with existential questions; who were the humans of prehistory, and what defining qualities do our spirits share in common with theirs? Vollrath imagines these clarinet pieces as found archaeological objects, voices from long ago that have somehow made their way to our present-day ears. Inspired by Andrew Robinson’s book Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World’s Undeciphered Scripts, the music plums a cavernous underworld for clues toward a deeper understanding of human existence. This newest album comes on the heels of Vollrath’s acclaimed THE UNFOLDING FLUTE (2020) and is sure to delight listeners with its rich and dynamic works for clarinet.

Navona Records proudly presents TISDALE VIRGINAL BOOK from harpsichordist and early keyboard specialist Charles Metz. The album features historical repertoire seldom heard even by Early Music aficionados, all performed on a painstakingly restored Francesco Poggi virginal built c. 1590. The virginal, a member of the harpsichord family, was popular in the late Renaissance into the early Baroque period. Metz opts to tune the virginal to A=406 Hz, rather than the modern A=440 Hz as the lower pitch allows for better resonance and tonal quality. He also uses the historically accurate quarter-comma meantone tuning which highlights the consonance and dissonance of the harmonies. Music from composers including William Tisdale (late 16th century), William Byrd (c. 1540 – 1623), John Dowland (1563 – 1626) and Thomas Morley (1557/8 – 1602) is featured on this lovingly-prepared album. Early Music enthusiasts will appreciate Metz’s careful attention to detail as he guides listeners through this centuries-old repertoire.