John Henry Haaren

Much Latin American music occupies a unique space between popular and "classical," rarely going to either extreme. On this recital of Latin American works mostly arranged for cello and piano (or guitar), the most formal work is the Sonata for cello and piano in G minor of Manuel Ponce, who also wrote the pop classic Estrellita, which is also included. It is mostly players from the region who record this music, but Louisianan John-Henry Crawford delivers a fine sense of enthusiasm at meeting the tradition for the first time.

"In the summer of 2019, I travelled to Mexico to compete in the IX International Carlos Prieto Cello Competition, and little did I know, the trip would transform my life musically. At the time I was very well acquainted with Latin American music, but after having the great fortune of winning first prize and returning to Mexico multiple times for performances, I fell in love with the music of Latin America, the culture, the history, and the Spanish language. This album takes the listener on a musical tour through Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Mexico. The centrepiece of the programme is the Sonata in G minor by Manuel Ponce, who is most famous in the classical world for his song Estrellita popularised by Jascha Heifetz. Ponce was keen to reunite the concert world with Mexican folklore and traditional songs, as listeners can hear in the romantic, longing title-track Por ti mi corazon. Spanning over 140 years of Latin American music culture, this album takes us from Ponces unique traditional voice and Villa-Lobos Chopinesque style to music by still-living Cuban guitarist Leo Brouwer his innocent lullaby Cancion de Cuna. Other highlights include Astor Piazzollas timeless Oblivion and Le Grand Tango and Egberto Gismontis Agua e Vinho. As the title suggests, this music pulls at the heartstrings and exudes romance and passion."

In an album celebrating the 150th anniversary of Rachmaninoff's birth, cellist John-Henry Crawford and pianist Victor Santiago Asuncion explore the voice-like qualities of the composer's melodies. The cello's expressive timbres are often likened to the human voice, making it the perfect vehicle to showcase this aspect of Rachmaninoff's output.The release begins with an arrangement of Rachmaninoff's Elegie - originally for solo piano - that expands the work's texture to articulate a more clearly defined melodic line.