KEY RELEASES | June 2018

1 2018 Naxos Rights US, Inc.

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Brinton Averil Smith

Cello Concerto Revived

CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCOS

KEY RELEASES | June 2018

2 2018 Naxos Rights US, Inc.

7 47313 38207 1

8.573820 Price Code: NXP

Playing Time: 58:07

IncludesWORLD PREMIERE

RECORDINGS

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Mario CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO (18951968) Cello Concerto 1Transcriptions for Cello and Piano 2Brinton Averil Smith, Cello Evelyn Chen, Piano 2Houston Symphony 1 Kazuki Yamada 1

Inspired by the personality, prodigious technique and musicality of the cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, Castelnuovo-Tedescos Cello Concerto is a work of imposing scale and demanding virtuosity, but also with a rare beauty and warmth of expression. This live recording documents the first professional performances of the concerto in more than 80 years, and is paired with playful and virtuosic freely composed transcriptions for cello and piano of Mozart, Rossini and Ravel that Castelnuovo-Tedesco made for Piatigorsky and Heifetz.

Key Features: Mario Castelnuovo-Tedescos career was interrupted by his move to America in 1939 to escape the

Fascist regime in Italy. He worked as a film composer in Hollywood, and as a result his concert works have become neglected, and he is now best remembered as a composer for the guitar. There is something of an ongoing revival however, of which this program is a part.

Acclaimed cellist Brinton Averil Smith appeared on our American Classics album of music by Steven Gerber (8.559618), in which [Kurt] Nikkanen and the extraordinary cellist Brinton Averil Smith bring out the changing moods and colors of the virtuosic Duo for Cello and Violin (Strings Magazine). Gerber is indeed fortunate to have this disc performed by such an elite group of players Here all are virtuosi in their own right as well as sounding thoroughly committed to the sound-world Gerber creates. (MusicWeb International)

This release follows successful Houston Symphony recordings for Naxos, such as the wonderfully lush (The Dallas Morning News) version of Zemlinskys Lyric Symphony (8.572048), and the GRAMMY Award-winning recording of Alban Bergs Wozzeck (8.660390-91) in which the orchestra plays stunningly. (ClassicsToday.com)

Listen to an excerpt from the Cello Concerto in F major, Op. 72:

II. Allegretto gentile

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

KEY RELEASES | June 2018

3 2018 Naxos Rights US, Inc.

As a child, I read Piatigorskys story of his debut of the Castelnuovo-Tedesco Cello Concerto with Toscanini, and ever since Ive nurtured the dream of bringing it back to life. This live recording documents the first professional performances of the composers melodic and fiery concerto in more than 80 years, paired with playful and virtuosic freely composed transcriptions of Mozart, Rossini and Ravel made for Piatigorsky and Heifetz, many recorded here for the first time ever.

Brinton Averil Smith

About Brinton Averil SmithCellist Brinton Averil Smiths performances have been lauded by reviewers praising his virtuosity and musical ideas rooted in the golden age of string playing. His debut recording of Rzsas Cello Concerto received international acclaim, while his recording of Faurs chamber music with Gil Shaham was chosen by multiple reviewers as one of the years best. Smiths broadcast performances include CBS Sunday Morning and NPRs Performance Today and SymphonyCast, while his live YouTube performances of unusual cello works and virtuosic transcriptions have been viewed over one million times. Smith regularly performs with his wife, the pianist Evelyn Chen.

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https://www.naxos.com/person/Brinton_Smith/79390.htm

KEY RELEASES | June 2018

4 2018 Naxos Rights US, Inc.

About the Houston SymphonyThe Houston Symphony celebrates its fourth season with music director Andrs Orozco-Estrada during 2017-18 continuing its second century as one of Americas leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. In 2017, the orchestra received an ECHO Klassik award and a GRAMMY Award in the Best Opera Recording category for the live recording of Alban Bergs Wozzeck under the direction of former music director Hans Graf.

About Evelyn ChenPianist Evelyn Chens recent engagements include performances at David Geffen and Alice Tully Halls at Lincoln Center, the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow. Chens recordings have received international critical acclaim, and her recording of Rachmaninovs Piano Concertos with Leonard Slatkin and the Philharmonia Orchestra became a top-selling classical recording in Britain.

About Kazuki YamadaKazuki Yamada is principal conductor and artistic director designate of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo. In Japan, he holds the titles of principal guest conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra (from January 2019), permanent conductor of the Japan Philharmonic, music director and chairman of The Philharmonic Chorus of Tokyo and music director of the Yokohama Sinfonietta. Yamada is active in the field of opera and conducted Rusalka with the Yomiuri Nippon SO, which also produced an award-winning DVD.

Kazuki Yamada conducts the Houston Symphony in a performance of Castelnuovo-Tedescos Cello Concerto, with soloist Brinton Averil Smith (April 2017, Jones Hall, Houston, Texas, USA)

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8.573135Chinese violinist Tianwa

Yang confirms her growing reputation with playing

of great prowess The Guardian

8.572823Played by the hyperactive pianist and orchestra with such scintillating abandon

Gramophone

8.660390-91One of the finest

Wozzecks on record,orchestrally speaking

Gramophone

8.572048Hans Graf seems to have found a kindred musical

spirit; the synergy between the conductor and orchestra infuses these performances

with a marvelous combination of intensity

and precision. AllMusic.com

Recordings of Castelnuovo-Tedescosconcertante works

Highly acclaimed recordings bythe Houston Symphony

GRAMOPHONECHOICE

ECHO DEUTSCHERMUSIKPREIS KLASSIK

RECORDING OFTHE MONTH

BEST OPERA RECORDINGBEST OPERA RECORDING

Critics Choice

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