Juan José Mena
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Falla: La Vida Breve
Nancy Fabiola Herrera (Salud), Aquiles Machado (Paco), Cristina Faus (La Abuela), José Antonio López (Tío Sarvaor), Raquel Lojendio (Carmela), Josep Miquel Ramon (Manuel)
BBC Philharmonic, Juanjo Mena
While there’s plenty of Iberian flavour to this recording, including a flamenco cantor of properly reedy vocal depth, Mena never lets us forget that the work is in that Italian [verismo] tradition…[Fabiola... —
Awards:
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Opera, June 2019, Disc of the Month
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Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony
RecommendedSteven Osborne (piano) & Cynthia Millar (ondes Martenot)
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Juanjo Mena
Any performance must keep sight of the romantic, sometimes disturbing, core of the work. This is clearly understood in this performance from Juanjo Mena and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra...the... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, October 2012, Editor's Choice
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Building a Library, February 2023, Also Recommended
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Both concertos enjoy bright, barnstorming performances from pianist Xiayin Wang accompanied with matching flair by the BBC Philharmonic, whose section leaders offer some really heartfelt and... —
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 1st June 2018
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2018
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Turina: Canto a Sevilla
Orchestral Works
María Espada (soprano), Martin Roscoe (piano)
BBC Philharmonic, Juanjo Mena
The fact that Turina was a skilled orchestrator is manifest throughout this disc in performances of La procesion del rocio and the Danzas gitans that have a shifting, subtle spectrum of coour... —
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HK Gruber: Percussion Concertos
RecommendedColin Currie (soloist), BBC Philharmonic, Juan José Mena, John Storgårds
With textures bursting at the seams, Currie’s performance matches the composer’s charisma. —
Awards:
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2021
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Manuel de Falla: Works for Stage and Concert Hall
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano), Raquel Lojendio (soprano)
BBC Philharmonic, Juanjo Mena
one of those experiences that change one's perception of a work forever...At the most basic level they take the trouble to get the balance right. ['Nights'] is no concerto, and the pianist has... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, May 2012, Editor's Choice
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BBC Music Magazine, March 2012, Disc of the month
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Montsalvatge: Orchestral Works
Ruby Hughes (soprano), Clara Mouriz (mezzo-soprano)
BBC Philharmonic, Juanjo Mena
The BBC Philharmonic are in excellent form throughout, well marshalled by Mena, they and Montsalvatge's often spare, quiet textures captured in typically rich Chandos sound. A very enjoyable... —
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Weber: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 & Bassoon Concerto
Karen Geoghegan (bassoon)
BBC Philharmonic, Juanjo Mena
The performances are pretty astringent, Juanjo Mena persuading the BBC Philharmonic to play as if they were a period orchestra, with wiry lean string tone and rasping woodwind. —
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Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole; Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No.3
James Ehnes (violin), BBC Philharmonic, Juanjo Mena
There’s also much to enjoy, albumwide, from the playing here. Ehnes, with that elegant, effortless technique of his own, brings a cool, cantabile purity to the Saint-Saëns concerto’s lilting... —
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Explosive Classics
Manchester Chamber Choir, London Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Russian State...
