“The fierce diversity of the tracks on this compilation is reflective of 20th century music as a whole, with its staggering range of innovation and expression. Discerning listeners will note the presence of such familiar touchstones as minimalism, serialism and polystylism, but there is nothing programmatic about their application in these pieces. The dissonant modernism in the third movement to Gloria Coates’ Symphony No. 15 is worlds away from the limpid warmth of Charles Wuorinen’s Renaissance-inspired Josquiniana. The angular contours conjured in John Corigliano’s A Black November Turkey find distinct counterpoint in the adagio of William Bolcom’s serene yet stealthily subversive Cello Sonata. José Serebrier demonstrates expressive melodic grace in his Fantasia for strings while Joan Tower marshals powerful rhythmic forces to dramatic effect in her aptly titled Tambor. The hard, trance-inducing repetition of Frederic Rzewski’s Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues is contrasted with the dark hued introspection of John Harbison’s
Piano Trio No. 1.”
-Dean Brierly

On August 26, Naxos of America releases Class of ‘38 (Naxos 8572087), a two-disc set of works by eight of America’s most compelling living composers: William Bolcom (Cello Sonata; II. Adagio semplice);
Gloria Coates (Symphony No. 15; III. What are the stars?); John Corigliano (A Black November Turkey); John Harbison (Trio, 1968); Frederic Rzewski (Four American Ballads: No. 4 Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues); José Serebrier (Fantasia for strings); Joan Tower (Tambor), and Charles Wuorinen (from Josquiniana). The second bonus disc contains podcast interviews with Naxos’ Raymond Bisha and composers Joan Tower, William Bolcom, John Corigliano, Charles Wuorinen, John Harbison, and José Serebrier.

The Recording Academy® has honored the much-acclaimed Naxos recording of Joan Tower’s Made in America, with Leonard Slatkin leading the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, produced by Tim Handley, with three GRAMMY® Awards: Best Classical Album (awarded to Artists and Producer), Best Orchestral Performance (awarded to Conductor and Orchestra), and Best Classical Contemporary Composition (awarded to Composer).

This is the second time in three years that a Naxos recording has won GRAMMY® Awards in three major categories; in 2006, William Bolcom’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience won three GRAMMY® Awards (Best Classical Album, Best Choral Performance, and Best Contemporary Classical Composition). In addition, Tim Handley won Producer of the Year, Classical for his work on five Naxos albums, including Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

Made in America began when 65 small U.S. orchestras pooled their resources to commission a new work by a major American composer. With the help of the American Symphony Orchestra League, Meet The Composer, and Ford Motor Company Fund, the project evolved into the phenomenon known as Ford Made in America, bringing Tower’s piece to towns nationwide.

NAXOS OF AMERICA-DISTRIBUTED LABEL ARTISTS WIN THREE GRAMMY®AWARDS

The Best Opera Recording of the Year (Awarded to the conductor, producer, and principal performers) went to the Chandos* recording of Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel, conducted by Sir Charles MacKerras, produced by Brian Couzens; featuring Rebecca Evans, Jane Henschel, Jennifer Larmore, Sarah Coppen, Diana Montague, and Sarah Tynan; the New London Children’s Choir; and the Philharmonia Orchestra. Additionally, Sound Engineer John Newton was honored with the Award for Best Engineered Classical Album for his work on the Chandos recording of Grechaninov’s Passion Week.

*Naxos of America currently manages Chandos’ digital distribution and will begin physical CD distribution of Chandos recordings on April 1, 2008.

Violinist James Ehnes took home the Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra for his CBC Records recording of violin concertos by Barber, Korngold, and Walton, with Bramwell Tovey conducting the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.