NY Phil Release New Magnus Lindberg Album via Dacapo Records

The New York Philharmonic today releases a new album of World Premiere recordings of works by Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg. Released on Dacapo Records and distributed in the U.S. by the Naxos group, the album features works written for and performed by Music Director Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic during Mr. Lindberg's tenure as the Orchestra's MarieJosée Kravis Composer-in-Residence, 2009-12. The CD includes the live World Premiere performances of three New York Philharmonic commissions: EXPO, Al largo, and Piano Concerto No. 2 with pianist Yefim Bronfman, the last of which the New York Philharmonic co-commissioned with Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Gothenburg Symphony.

Performed on Opening Night of the 2009-10 season, EXPO ushered in both the start of the composer's residency and Alan Gilbert's tenure as Music Director. In addition, the Orchestra performed EXPO on both of that season's international tours, Asian Horizons and EUROPE / WINTER 2010. Al largo brought that same season to a close; in the review of the work's World Premiere The New York Times wrote: "Mr. Lindberg writes brilliantly for orchestra, and Mr. Gilbert and the Philharmonic made the most of it in this glittering, virtuosic performance." The third featured work, Piano Concerto No. 2 - the fourth and final work Mr. Lindberg composed during his Philharmonic tenure - was written for and performed by Yefim Bronfman in the 2011-12 season and was described by ConcertoNet.com as "ravishingly beautiful." The piece was also performed on the Philharmonic's CALIFORNIA 2012 tour. With special permission from The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), a detail of the painting Wounds and Absent Objects by Anish Kapoor, donated to MoMA by the Jacqueline Brody Fund and Harry Kahn Fund, is featured as the CD's cover. The album is now available for purchase in the New York Philharmonic store (store.nyphil.org), Amazon.com, and other online music retailers.

"I was so impressed by the quality of our collaboration with Dacapo Records on the first release in The Nielsen Project that they were my first choice to produce this new, ambitious recording," said Music Director Alan Gilbert. "The technical expertise and artistic sensitivity of their team will enrich the presentation of these works' premieres. I couldn't be more pleased with how the recording captures the excitement and brilliance of the New York Philharmonic's performances of music by Magnus Lindberg, who developed a real affinity with the musicians during his threeyear tenure."

"It is a great honor that the New York Philharmonic has wished to collaborate with Dacapo as the recording label for this high-profile Composer-in-Residence CD release," said Henrik Rørdam, president of Dacapo Records. "It gives Dacapo a quite unique opportunity for further development of the close relationship with the orchestra that was initiated with The Nielsen Project."

Dacapo Records was launched in 1989 in Denmark and is dedicated to producing music of the best international standards, with Danish music throughout 1,000 years as its point of departure. The label has received Gramophone and American Grammy Awards, as well as the Cannes Classical Award. Dacapo Records is also releasing The Nielsen Project, the New York Philharmonic's critically acclaimed cycle of the complete symphonies and concertos of Carl Nielsen. For more information, visit www.dacapo-records.dk.