Song of the Stars

Voices of Ascension's newest, Grammy-nominated recording was released June 30, 2009 by Naxos.

Conductor Dennis Keene, Voices of Ascension and organist Mark Kruczek collaborated with pianist and Granados scholar Douglas Riva and Naxos to produce the North American premiere performance and recording of Granados' Cant de les estrelles, Salve Regina, and Escena Religiosa. Cant de les estrelles received its premiere in 1911 at Barcelona's Palau de la Música Catalana with Granados at the keyboard. The manuscript was never published, and was only recovered in 2004 through the efforts of Mr. Riva and Granados biographer Walter Clark, among others. Works by Catalan composers Pablo Casals, Enrique Morera, Manuel Oltra, and Manuel Blancafort complete the recording.

Artistic Director Dennis Keene describes the work as "hauntingly beautiful. We are thrilled to add Song of the Stars to our repertoire and discography."

"This is an exceptional program, full of rewarding new encounters, very respectably recorded - and especially noteworthy for Manuel Oltra's Eco and Preludio and Granados' often strange and wonderful Cant de les estrelles. Highly recommended!" David Vernier, Classics Today