Naxos Podcasts Archives - The Naxos Blog

Podcast: Composer Ronald Stevenson. A fantastically original musical mind.

Naxos — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 16:00:35 +0000

Scottish father, Welsh mother, born in England, polyglot, highly intellectual, educator, composer, phenomenal pianist and a fantastically original musical mind. Introductions such as this don’t crop up too often, so take time out to listen to this podcast about Ronald Stevenson’s highly engaging piano music as performed and introduced by Peter Jablonski in conversation with Raymond Bisha. You’ll be well rewarded.

View album catalogue
Catalogue No.: ODE1453-2

The post Podcast: Composer Ronald Stevenson. A fantastically original musical mind. appeared first on The Naxos Blog.

Podcast: Florence Price’s choral works. An introduction.

Naxos — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 16:00:42 +0000

Florence Price’s abiding interest in the literary arts helps explain the extraordinarily large number of vocal compositions in her catalogue – well over one hundred – as well as the fact that she occasionally supplied texts of her own for these pieces. Conductor John Jeter discusses with Raymond Bisha his latest album of Price’s music which comprises a dozen of these choral works, including Price’s two significant cantatas – Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight and Song of Hope.

View album catalogue
Catalogue No.: 8.559951

With gratitude and respect: Raymond Bisha (1957–2025)
Lover of classical music, marketing visionary, podcast pioneer.
Your final broadcast. Our fond farewell.

It is with deep sadness that the Naxos family announces the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Raymond Bisha.

Raymond dedicated nearly 30 years to the Naxos family, embodying kindness, professionalism, and warmth in every interaction. His extensive background as a professional French horn player, broadcaster, opera tour manager, and concert organizer, combined with decades of expertise in radio, marketing, and label relations, greatly enriched our community. Raymond’s contributions have left an indelible mark on our organization.

He began his Naxos journey with Naxos of Canada before transitioning to Naxos of America, working out of his New York City home and often commuting to Nashville for meetings. In 2005, he launched the Naxos Classical Spotlight podcast series, producing over 600 episodes that featured insightful interviews with composers like Jennifer Higdon and John Corigliano, as well as conductors such as Marin Alsop and Sir Charles Mackerras.

Raymond’s remarkable contributions – including the creation of Naxos en Español and various marketing initiatives – have profoundly impacted us all. His absence will be deeply felt.

During this difficult time, let us support one another and keep Raymond and his loved ones in our thoughts. His unwavering love for music, passion for discovery, and dedication to friends and family will always be remembered.

Rest in peace, dear Raymond. Your legacy will live on in our hearts forever.

The post Podcast: Florence Price’s choral works. An introduction. appeared first on The Naxos Blog.

Podcast: Joby Talbot details the progression of his ballet score, The Winter’s Tale

Naxos — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:12:28 +0000

Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet The Winter’s Tale (after Shakespeare) was first performed by Covent Garden’s Royal Ballet in 2014. In this podcast, the score’s creative unfolding is described by composer Joby Talbot, prior to a 2025 performance of the ballet in New York City. The presenter is Raymond Bisha.

View album catalogues:
OACD9054D
OA1159SE
OA1156D
OABD7157D

The post Podcast: Joby Talbot details the progression of his ballet score, The Winter’s Tale appeared first on The Naxos Blog.

Podcast: Assembled again. The Peterhouse Partbooks.

Naxos — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:00:36 +0000

Collected for use in the chapel of Cambridge University’s Peterhouse college in the 1630s and hidden during the Civil War, the Peterhouse Partbooks represent one of the most important manuscript collections of sacred choral music from the period. In this podcast, Raymond Bisha presents performances of those works by the Peterhouse choir, affording a snapshot of its chapel’s distinctive musical heritage, with recently unearthed music heard alongside the foundations of a tradition still very much alive in today’s Anglican church.

View album catalogue
Catalogue No.: 8.574700

The post Podcast: Assembled again. The Peterhouse Partbooks. appeared first on The Naxos Blog.

Podcast: Sweeping Romanticism. Polish folk spirit. Orchestral music by Zygmunt Noskowski.

Naxos — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 16:00:46 +0000

Although the music of Polish composer Zygmunt Noskowski (1846–1909) is less well known than that of his teacher (Stanisław Moniuszko) and his students (Karol Szymanowski and Mieczysław Karłowicz), Noskowski was nonetheless the primary exponent of modern symphonic music in Poland for most of the 19th century; he also introduced the idea of the symphonic poem to colleagues who would follow in his footsteps. Raymond Bisha introduces a programme of his Third Symphony and the symphonic poem The Steppe, Op. 66, which blends sweeping Romanticism with Polish folk spirit. The symphony is a journey through the seasons, while The Steppe evokes Poland’s vast landscapes with colourful hints of Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia.