En Concierto [Live]

1. Introduccion: Milonga del Trovador/El Colibri/Creeme

2. Cancion [De que callada manera]

3. Fragmento Texto de Jaime Sabines [XXI Pajaros perdios]/Con Diez Anos de

4. Pasaba Por Afqui

5. Poema Amigos Mios/Volver a Verte

6. Hage Como un Año

7. Cuando Llora Mi Guitarra

8. Corriente Alterna

9. Luna [Poema]/A Pesar de Todo/Final

En Concierto,Carlos Diaz,Spartacus,Latin,Mexican,Tropical

Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces

Average customer rating:

Two-and-a-half hours of bliss
not what i expected
excellent guitar performances
Essential Guitar...
Lives up to its Name!

Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
Spanish Guitar Music
Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar
Art of Segovia
Baroque Guitar

ASIN: B000069KIT
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Customer Reviews:

Two-and-a-half hours of bliss.......2007-04-04

This may be the best money I've ever spent. I got 2-1/2 hours of bliss for less than what I'd usually pay for one CD -- and you know how it is with music. You buy an album because of a song or two that you love, and you find that you like maybe half the songs on it. There's not a single selection in this one that I would've left out. It includes Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, performed by Pepe Romero on the guitar with the Acadamy of St. Martin in the Fields. I needed to replace my old LP recording of that. But I also get 30 other classical compositions and traditional Spanish pieces, each special in its own way.

Have you ever heard music that you wanted to last forever, maybe even to dive inside and live there for a while, immersing yourself in sound? That's how I feel about this collection. The only problem I have with it is that I bought it thinking it might be nice to listen to while I write. Not so. It's terrible for that. I'll sit with my hands poised above the laptop keyboard, assuring myself I'll get some work done while I listen. The music takes hold and carries me away.

I'm not expert at describing this or any type of music. I just know what I love. You might too, if you enjoy classical or Spanish guitar -- unless you have absurd expectations about combining listening with work.

not what i expected.......2007-03-26

This CD for me was a waste of money. Its just not what i thought it would be. Others may enjoy it but for me..it wasnt what i was hoping to hear.

excellent guitar performances.......2006-07-27

Outstanding guitar performances. I gave it only 4 stars because I do not personally like some of the compositions.

Essential Guitar..........2005-07-26

Up until this collection, I'd never heard the "Cavatina" played in the Deer Hunter movie. After hearing it, I could play it all day and not tire of it! It moves me that much, considering that it's almost "not" a classical guitar selection. The rest of the music is first rate! Excellent playing, but the "Cavatina..."
Buy it and enjoy!!!!

Lives up to its Name!.......2005-06-10

If you only bought this double CD set, you'd have a good starter collection of classical guitar music. It includes most of the standards, as well as rarer pieces. In addition to the many solo pieces, there are several excerpts from orchestral works, with Rodrigo's indispensible Adagio from "Concierto de Aranjuez" topping the list. There are also several flamenco numbers included, complete with heel taps and castanets.

The recording quality is uniformly good, even on the tracks by Segovia. I don't know if they were remastered or recorded late in his career, but they're free of the surface noise present in so many of his recordings. The set clocks in at a generous 2 1/2 hours - one of the greatest deals in instrumental music; this is not a "bargain" quality set. Listen to the samples online - great stuff.

My only mild criticism is in the marketing. The advertising features John Williams and Julian Bream. Each contributes exactly one track. I would have enjoyed more pieces by them for stylistic comparison. But the less well-known (at least to guitar music neophytes like me) artists are every bit as good, and I intend to obtain more of their work.

Average customer rating:

Like a rainy day in a good bookstore
Not "Ultimate", but Wonderful!
Everyone would love this album!
Incredible
One well worth the price of two

Ultimate Guitar Collection

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Julian Bream: The Ultimate Guitar Collection-Volume 2
Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces
300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
Baroque Guitar
Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar

ASIN: B00000I9M1
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Allegro Giusto
Largo
Allegro
Packington's Pound
Greensleeves
Fantasia 'A Fancy'
Canarios
Sonata In D
Leyenda (Asturias)
The Three Cornered Hat: The Millar's Dance
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Choros No.1
Andantino Espressivo
Poco Animato
En Los Trigales
Allegro Con Spirito
Adagio
Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

Mallorca, Op. 202 - Albeniz
Cataluna
Granada
Sevilla
Cadiz
Cordoba
Dedicatoria
La Maja De Goya
Danza Espanola No. 4
Valses Poeticos - Granados
Danza Espanola No. 5 - Granados
Fandango
Passacaglia
Zapateado

Customer Reviews:

Like a rainy day in a good bookstore.......2007-07-10

"Always pleasant, never a false cord." That's what I think each time I listen to this collection. I guess I should be listening more closely, but I find the music and the virtuosity with which it is played to be a springboard to other thoughts and activities. I can read with it in the background, write with it or simply drift into thought. And that is really quite enough for me.

Not "Ultimate", but Wonderful!.......2007-03-29

As good a guitarist as Julian Bream is, one must begin by acknowledging that the title of this 2-CD set containing 32 admittedly seminal pieces written for hand-played strings ( primarily, the lute) is a tad hyperbolistic. An "Ultimate" collection of anything would have to be more complete, by definition, than any two CDs can be and, again, it almost goes without saying that no two people are apt to be in total agreement about what should or should not have been included in any such collection. All caveats considered and aside, this is, indeed, a thoughtfully selected and masterfully performed collection of what is, unarguably, some of the very best classical pieces ever written for the lute. Bream plays some of them on the guitar and others on a renaissance lute - the latter giving a somewhat truer indication of the stylings and musical nuances intended by the various composers. But, even the pieces he plays on the guitar - an instrument that, in it's current form, did not exist when many of the pieces were originally composed - are sensitive and lyrical interpretations that sound as if they MIGHT have been composed for the guitar.

Without spending space here reiterating the specific pieces, their titles and lengths, I will simply list the composers whose works Bream presents so nicely in this collection. They span a range of about five centuries beginning in the time of England's Elizabeth I and spanning the years through to the 20th Century's premier Spanish and Brazilian classical guitar composers. The list reads like a `Whose Who" of classical plucked-string instrument music and of composers whose keyboard compositions work particularly well on the strings of a lute or guitar, and includes;
- John Dowland
- Francis Cutting
- Antonio Vivaldi
- Gaspar Sanz (*)
- Mateo Albeniz (*)
- Manuel de Falla
- Enrique Granados (*)
- Hector Villa-Lobos, and
- Joaquin Rodrigo
(*) = Pieces originally written for keyboard play.

Every classical guitarist has his own recognizable style and approach to the instrument and the material. An experience listener would not confuse Bream's work with that of Andres Segovia, for example: but it is not that one is better than the other. Each, in his own distinctive way, is simply superb. Though the Spanish influence is clearly audible with both musicians, Bream's stylings have a more contemporary lilt and inflection than do those of Segovia; he makes each piece his own. One suspects that each time he plays a piece it comes out differently according to the moment, his mood, the instrument and God knows what else. Segovia, on the other hand, was well known for his constancy once he had found a version of each piece that fully suited his own ear and temperament.
While I am admittedly a Segovia fan, I find Bream's renditions to be noticeably fresher and each infused with an aura of presence in the here-and-now which I find especially enjoyable.

The collection is neither complete not `ultimate', but it is VERY good and well worth having in any collection of classical guitar music. In fact, for audiophiles not familiar with this genre, it is a fair place to begin to develop an ear for and a listener's knowledge of and experience with the classical guitar.

I recommend it highly.

Everyone would love this album!.......2007-01-16

This album is fantastic. Easy to listen to and wonderful background music for working or dinner parties

Incredible.......2005-10-24

This is the leading guitar player of his generation at his best.

He is especially amazing in the second CD, with some of the solo guitar transcriptions of Albeniz. His rendition of Rodrigo's three pieces is also sublime.

I can't imagine anybody buying this cd then regretting it.

One well worth the price of two.......2004-09-25

This two cd set is an odd juxtaposition. The first cd consists of a sampler of Bream's career output - but without (and I believe the omission is disgraceful) any acknowledgement of Bream's significant contribution toward the creation of a truly 20th century concert repertoire for guitar. The second cd is a re-release of his superb early 1980's recording of Albeniz and Granados transcriptions with the added bonus of a sublime interpretation of the "Three Spanish Pieces" by J Rodrigo.

Speaking as a musician I find the selections and the production of the first cd problematic. We get a few of the more lightweight examples of renaissance lute and baroque guitar (but no JS Bach and no (solo) baroque lute work); we get no vihuela repertoire and nothing truly representative of classical period composition. We do have all six movements from two contrasting concertos but the remainder of the cd consists mostly of neo-romantic repertoire from the twentieth century. Worse still, the recording quality is highly variable; for example one of the Villa Lobos pieces sounds as though it was recorded in an indoor swimming complex. Given the cd's title more care should have been taken to better represent Bream's career and musical diversity. In the opinion of one familiar with Bream's output this is a disappointing selection. Well played but not representative of the artist nor the art form.

However the opposite is the case with the second cd. These recordings were made at a time when Bream set out to commit to (then) vinyl, via the guitar, the musical heritage of Spain. Bream here was at the height of his interpretive power - and a fine film documentary also resulted from this endeavour.

The inclusion of the Rodrigo set makes this cd a better buy than the original Albeniz and Granados recording, although those who find this compilation rewarding might perhaps profit from researching Bream's catalogue, and adding the complete recording from which the Rodrigo is sourced (circa 1980-90) to their collection.

As for the Albeniz and Granados Bream offers his own transcriptions. These tread a fine line between fidelity to the piano scores and Bream's concept of what works on the guitar. As a general observation Bream seeks to include significantly more of the original score's textures than do many of his peers (e.g. J Williams, P Romero). At the same time he is not averse to significantly modifying the original (e.g. amongst others 'Granada' and 'Cordoba'). Such a process is part of any transcription but here the results are not only excellent but also personal to Bream, as a result we have further confirmation of the craft of a great performing artist.

Every listener will discover their own favourites and I have more than space allows me to relate. I believe that Bream brings more expression to his performances of the Valses Poeticos by Granados than any other guitarist I have heard, and the Passacaglia by Rodrigo is played with such a sense of a brooding menace that my spine tingles every time I listen to it.

The second cd alone is worth twice the compilation's asking price.

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Fantasía para un gentilhombre

Average customer rating:

A good introduction to a great composer

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Fantasía para un gentilhombre

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Falla: El Amor Brujo
Villa-Lobos: Guitar Concerto; Preludes; Etudes
Concierto
The Complete Last Concert

ASIN: B0002DD67Y
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Tracks:

Allegro Con Spirito
Adagio
Allegro Gentile
Fandango
Passacaglia
Zapateado
Invocacion Y Danza (Hommage A Manual De Falla)
En Los Trigales
Villano Y
Ricercare
Espanoleta
Fanfare De La Caballeria De Napoles
Danza De Las Hachas
Canario

Customer Reviews:

A good introduction to a great composer.......2006-11-10

This CD is a good gift choice to introduce a friend to a wonderful composer; the works on it are full of a deliciously evocative Spanish flair and style. I think anyone who enjoys classical music, particularly anyone who likes music with a strong romantic impulse, will like this CD.

Rodrigo: Complete Concertos for Guitar and Harp

Average customer rating:

Joaquin Rodrigo complete concertos sfor guitar & harp
Marriner and Romeros unbeatable
2'fer bargain
Inroduction to Rodrigo
the best interpretation by the romeros

Rodrigo: Complete Concertos for Guitar and Harp
Joaquin Rodrigo , Antonio de Almeida , Neville Marriner , Barry Davis , Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields , Los Romeros , Angel Romero , Pepe Romero , Catherine Michel , and Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Fantasía para un Gentilhombre
Los Romeros: The Rodrigo Collection
The Rodrigo Edition (4 CDs): Concertos & Orchestral Works Conducted by Enrique Batiz
Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces
Rodrigo: Concerto Madrigal; Concerto Andaluz

ASIN: B00000I94F
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Concierto de Aranjuez: Allegro con spirito
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio
Concierto de Aranjuez: Allegro gentile
Concerto andaluz: Tiempo de Bolero
Concerto andaluz: Adagio
Concerto andaluz: Allegretto
Concierto serenata: Estudiantina: Allegro ma non troppo - Andante
Concierto serenata: Intermezzo con aria: Adagio - Allegro moderato
Concierto serenata: Sarao: Allegro deciso
Sones en la Giralda: Lento: Allegro vivace - Tempo di sevillana

Tracks:

Fantasia para un gentilhombre: Villano y Ricercare: Adagietto - Andante moderato
Fantasia para un gentilhombre: Espanoleta y Fanfare de la Caballeria de Napoles: Adagio - Allegretto molto ritmico
Fantasia para un gentilhombre: Danza de las hachas: Allegro con brio
Fantasia para un gentilhombre: Canario. Allegro ma non troppo
Concierto madrigal: Fanfarre. Allegro marziale
Concierto madrigal: Madrigal. Andante nostalgico
Concierto madrigal: Entrada. Allegro vivace
Concierto madrigal: Pastorcito, tu que vienes, pastorcito, tu que vas. Allegro vivace
Concierto madrigal: Girardilla. Presto
Concierto madrigal: Pastoral. Allegro
Concierto madrigal: Fandango
Concierto madrigal: Arieta. Andante nostalgico
Concierto madrigal: Zapateado. Allegro vivace
Concierto madrigal: Caccia a la espanola. Allegro vivace - Andante nostalgico
Concerto para una fiesta: Allegro deciso
Concerto para una fiesta: Andante calmo
Concerto para una fiesta: Allegro moderato

Customer Reviews:

Joaquin Rodrigo complete concertos sfor guitar & harp.......2007-01-22

If you like classical music, enjoy spanish guitar, you will love this. It is lighthearted, uplifting, & joyful to listen to.

Marriner and Romeros unbeatable.......2003-02-11

These are probably the best recordings of the Rodrigo guitar concertos available. There is noticeable analog tape hiss in the background but this is a small price to pay for these excellent, classic recordings. The technical precision of Pepe Romero on the guitar along with the excellent performance of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and the equally good sound engineering is a rare treat. Rodrigo and the Romeros seem meant to go together so this CD set is a must have. It's unfortunate that an equally good recording of the Concierto Serenata is not included. The performance on the harp is disappointing. I am puzzled why Catherine Michel breaks into chords where Rodrigo wrote arpeggios. If this is artistic license it is a poor choice. The sound of the harp often fades behind the sound of the orchestra too. The entire recording seems poorly engineered. The orchestra sounds distant, as if it is poorly mixed or too few microphones were used. In the absence of a better performance, the Concierto Serenata would have best been left off the disc.

2'fer bargain.......2001-11-27

Wow!! Fantastic stuff that is highly recommended for classical music listeners old and new. Hats off to Phillips for collecting these songs by Spanish maestro Rodrigo and presenting them on two discs. Besides the more familiar fare like "Fantasia para un gentilhombre" and "Concierto de Arunjuez," which I never get tired of, there are various other conciertos that are so soothing and extremely relaxing. This is music to park your mind in tranquility bay with, a blissfull audio experience, orchestral nirvana for the classical music neophyte. The "Madrigal Concierto" is especially note worthy, the two guitars and orchestra are magical as they play in unison, elevating the listener to heights unknown and back. There are various performers on this disc and all are outstanding. The performance of Los Romeros on guitars and Catherine Michel plucking her heavenly harp are exceptional and simply perfect to my ears. These are all recordings from the 70's and early 80's but have been digitally remastered for a crystal clear sound. If you like the music of Joaquin Rodrigo you will love this compilation of 155 min+ of his best compositions at an incredibly low price.

Inroduction to Rodrigo.......2001-07-28

I cannot compare these works with others by this composer because this was my first experience of him, but for the information of anyone else who is not familiar with Joaquin Rodrigo, I would describe him as a Spanish Aaron Copland in that they were contemporaries and they both incorporated national folk music into their compositions. It's difficult for me to imagine anyone of any age not enjoying these works.

the best interpretation by the romeros.......2000-08-18

this cd are the best works for guitar by rodrigo, and the best interpretation by the romeros, especially Pepe Romero. His friendship with rodrigo was very important for the interpretation of the concierto de aranjuez and the concierto madrigal with his brother Angel. A great work and i am excited with this cd.

Average customer rating:

The Absolute Best of Soda Stereo
lo mejor de soda en vivo.
Musical Heaven
Espectacular Concierto
You cannot say "Goodbye" better than this.

El Ultimo Concierto, Pt. A
Soda Stereo
Manufacturer: Sony International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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El Ultimo Concierto, Pt. B
El Ultimo Concierto
Comfort y Música Para Volar: Unplugged
Sueño Stereo
Ahí Vamos

ASIN: B000005MLG
Release Date: 2007-03-02

Tracks:

En La Ciudad De La Furia
El Rito
Hombre Al Agua
En El Septimo Dia
Cancion Animal
Tratame Suavemente
Paseando Por Roma
Lo Que Sangra (La Cupula)
Zoom
Signos
Ella Uso Mi Cabeza Como Un Revolver

Customer Reviews:

The Absolute Best of Soda Stereo.......2007-02-10

Every album by Soda Stereo had something great, if not, a lot of things that were great. But you simply can't beat the energy and quality of this farewell tour. I highly recommend the video as well, which has a few songs not included in these two discs.

The stadium was packed tight, the fans swayed as a single organism and Soda rocked the house. If you don't speak Spanish, it's worth learning Spanish just to appreciate this incredible band. They drew on influences from various styles to create not just a single style, but a number of styles. They were (and Cerati, at least continues to be) true innovators. Cerati ranks with the guitar greats and the band as a whole ranks with the rock band greats of any culture or time.

lo mejor de soda en vivo........2007-01-11

fanatico de soda si no tienes este cd no eres fanatico, pero este concierto es lo mejor para cerrar con broche de oro su despedida.
hay que tenerlo.

Musical Heaven.......2005-02-17

(This review is for the set of 2 cds, A and B, that by all means should be considered toguether. Soda had to release 2 cd's for contractual reasons but we forgive them for this..)

Set yourself in Buanos Aires, at the packed River Plate stadium, August 1997. It is the last concert of what is without any doubt the greatest rock band to ever have come from latin-american soil. The unforgetable music of La Ciudad de la Furia, a song about the darker side of Buenos Aires itself, blares into the stadium and penetrates deep into the collective conciousness of the thousands of adoring fans. Now fast forward to the last song, De Musica Lijera, pure rock and roll bliss, fans screaming the lyrics like mad and amazing guitar riffs roaring for the last time. Everybody in the stadium knows that is to be the end of it. Soda Stereo is to be no more. They can put the sadness aside, in between these two moments all those present had been treated to an unadulterated piece of music heaven. It is precisely that what this pair of cd's try to capture.

To overstate the importance of Soda Stereo to latin-american music is impossible. This band which fused elements of ska, new-wave, pure rock and others into music that was remarkably progressive for its time and place has influenced so many others that it effectively has placed itself at the top of the latin rock world. In the 80's they opened doors for what would later become a musical revival not seen in Argentina since the time of the tango. If you have not listened to their music yet, take some time to do it. Listen repeatedly to these cd's and pick up all of their subtlelties, for the music created by Soda is just plain great. Even if you do not understand a word of Spanish you will apreciate what you will be listening to.

Soda has always delivered better performances live than in the studio, feeding off the crowd's energy. The performances in these cd's are not exeption. Listen to classics like La ciudad de la furia, Persiana americana, Zoom, El temblor, Ella uso mi cabeza como un revolver, Cancion Animal, Musica lijera among others and understand what this band was all about.

It pains me to see some of the trash that inundated the american and world markets coming from latin-america and at the same time for there to be no difussion of some great music like the one Soda created. Some gems from latin-america are known worldwide such as Brazilian music, salsa, merengue and other colorful examples. It is time for the rocker side to be known too.

Sell all of your other music if you have to, but get these cd's.

Espectacular Concierto.......2002-01-15

Personalmente tuve la oportunidad de presencial "El Último Concierto" en el Poliedro de Caracas y estos dos discos resumen lo que en esa noche se vio. El concierto duró alrededor de tres horas donde practicamente Soda Stereo interpreto sus temas mas conocidos.

Es una lástima que una banda con tanta calidad en su musica y entre sus interpretes decidiera dejar de existir ya que estos dos discos demuestran la fuerza de sus interpretaciones. Durante toda su carrera musical Soda Stereo siempre busco explorar sonidos y estilos y cada gira representaba una innovación y una nueva manera de descubirse a si mismos.

You cannot say "Goodbye" better than this........2001-10-09

If you're a Soda fan (and if you're an English-language only rocker, boy are YOU missing out!), this swan song for the Argentine trio is a must have. This is a well-recorded live concert disc which includes some of their best tunes.

Average customer rating:

Above All Others
The Great Master, of Masters
THIS GORGEOUS GUITAR MUSIC BEGS FOR LISTENING. . .
beautiful selection of the decca segovia
There's Only One Segovia

The Segovia Collection

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000060O5J
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Amazon.com

The vastly improved sonics which the Deutsche Grammophon production team achieves with its 24/96 remastering of the guitarist's 1952-1969 mono and stereo performances for Decca allow listeners to finally experience the rich tonal palette and intimate nature of Segovia's performance art in a manner commensurate with the fidelity of the original LP releases (minus the edgy digital glare and graininess of the MCA reissues). What emerges is a portrait of the artist as a lightning rod for great composers, such as Manuel Ponce, Federico Torroba, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Isaac Albéniz, and Enrique Granados, all of whom enriched the 20th-century repertoire of solo and chamber works by custom-crafting works for this innovative guitarist (Segovia's interpretation of Joaquín Rodrigo's "Fandango" is a paradigm for his role in popularizing the modern Spanish idiom). Likewise, Segovias's work as an arranger in recasting baroque and medieval works for modern guitar, as well as his deep affection for 19th-century masters of the instrument such as Dionisio Aguado and Fernando Sor, shines forth on discs two and three. However, it is Segovia's romantic touch in transposing Bach's Partitas for Solo Violin--as on his virtuoso turns on the "Chaconne in D Minor"--that best illustrate his poetic conception of the instrument. --Chip Stern

Customer Reviews:

Above All Others.......2006-10-16

John Williams, David Russell, Christopher Parkening, Julian Bream, et. al. all owe a great deal to this now departed giant. If you own ANY classical guitar recordings, you should purchase this collection. It's not only the finest remastering available, but an equisitely fine selection of Segovia's contribution to the genre and the art.

The Great Master, of Masters.......2005-06-28

Andrés Segovia was the great master of classical guitar. This set show us 400 years of music taken for the guitar, he was the first in give the guitar place like a cult instrument in 20th century through his works invaluable transcriptions of several instruments (cello, lute, etc.) of composers like Bach, Dowland, Manuel M. Ponce, Fernando Sor, Tárrega, etc.

The scope from Segovia has leaved footsteps in the great world of classical music, for his research and investigations about it. In this set we can listen pieces like "six pavanas" from the ending Age Middle of Luis Milán, and begginig of Rennasaince like Dowland's songs togheter Roncali Ludovico between others on CD 3.
Also show us the great spanish composer Enrique Granados, Torroba, Sor, icons of guitar music. I Basically bought this cd for "Pavane" 1-6 and that better found it in this GREAT SET. If you're a lover of Classical Music, or classical guitar this one of the greatest set box ever made in any genre!!!.

Andrés Segovia, Marquis of Salobreia, was born near Jaen, Granada, Spain. He became a guitarist against the double opposition of his parents. First, they opposed his learning the guitar and got him cello and piano teachers instead. When he persisted in teaching himself guitar, they opposed his becoming a musician. He sought a guitar teacher at the Granada Institute of Music when he studied there, but found none, so continued learning the instrument on his own. He made his debut at the Centro Artística in Granada at the age of 15. He played so skillfully that he was urged to become a professional soloist. He played in Madrid in 1912, at the Paris Conservatory in 1915, and in Barcelona in 1916, and made a wildly successful tour of South America in 1919. He made his formal debut in Paris on April 7, 1924, in a program which included a new work written for him by Albert Roussel, named Segovia. It was the first of many works which were written for him by distinguished composers, enriching the instrument's repertory as Segovia had elevated its artistic potential. His U.S. debut was at Town Hall, New York, on January 8, 1928.

Being self-taught, his technique was unique. It was, in fact, superior to that which was being taught at the time, and extended the flexibility and expressive possibilities of the instrument. The main difference was in the method of using the right hand for strumming and picking the strings: Segovia's method paid much attention to the means of attack: whether hard parts of the fingers, fleshy parts, or the nails were used; other subtleties that affected the dynamics of the instrument; and an economy of motion that allowed longer and more sustained playing. There were classical guitarists before him, and distinguished ones even when he appeared, but it was not an instrument that was regarded as a serious vehicle for classical music. Segovia personally changed that, and not by accident. No doubt affected by his parents' attitude toward his chosen career, he had a driving desire to make it so. He wrote numerous transcriptions of older music for lute and for the Spanish vihuela. He transcribed music of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Chopin, Handel, and others. He commissioned works by Castelnuovo-Tedesco (notably the great suite Platero and I), Falla, Turina, Tansman, Villa-Lobos, Torroba, Ponce, and Rodrigo, whose Fantasia para un gentilhombre was written for him. His reinstatement of the guitar as a solo instrument was sealed by his becoming one of the great teachers of music history. He established guitar schools or courses at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena, Santiago de Compostela, and the University of California in Berkeley. His students included Alirio Diaz, Oscar Ghilia, and John Williams.

Segovia become one of the great names in classical music, whose mere name was enough to sell out houses worldwide. He received numerous awards and honors during his lifetime, including the Grand Cross of Isabela and Alfonso, the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society of London, and many honorary degrees. The house where he was born had a commemorative plaque attached to it in 1969 proclaiming him the "leading son of the city." King Juan Carlos of Spain ennobled him as the Marquis of Salobreia in 1981, and in the same year a Segovia International Guitar Competition was established in his honor. He continued to give recitals and concerts until an advanced age, and had the rare opportunity, in 1984, of playing at a gala concert honoring the 75th anniversary of professional debut.

THIS GORGEOUS GUITAR MUSIC BEGS FOR LISTENING. . ........2004-02-24

__________________________________________________________________________________

. . . and I literally begged for this boxed set as a gift a while back and got lucky. The technical quality of the remastering is exquisite - the first 2 CD's especially sound as if you're in a recording studio with the master himself. (disc one includes "Fantasia Para Un Gentilhombre" & "Concierto Del Sur" and disc two "Castillos De Espana")

I've found they are now selling the individual CD's separately in the same packaging, so if you're on a limited budget you can collect them at your own speed or limit yourself to those selections you most want. I sincerely recommend them all however and if you buy the boxed set you get the added bonus of an excellent booklet.

There are very few CD's in my collection that I derive as much sheer pleasure listening to. This is indeed a 5 star Segovia collection!

beautiful selection of the decca segovia.......2003-10-02

there probably wasn't a classical guitarist alive in the 1950's and 60's who didn't know by heart all of segovia's decca albums and julian bream's spectacular recordings for rca and westminster. this set will be a stroll down memory lane for everyone with segovia schott editions in the attic, and essential listening for anyone interested in the classical guitar or in discovering a genuine musical genius -- the equal on his instrument of casals, rubenstein or heifitz on theirs.

segovia literally created the 20th century classical guitar out of an instrument with a cachet not far above the banjo. the booklet to the boxed set gives a fine overview of segovia's career and recording practice, though omitting many key details. (segovia innovated guitar concerts in large concert halls because he was among the first to use his fingernails, rather than bare fingertips, to pluck the strings, and pushed guitar makers to build larger, brighter and more sonorous instruments.)

each of the 4 separately cased cds generously samples (up to 80 minutes each) from (1) the guitar concerto; (2) 20th century compositions dedicated to segovia; (3) pieces for lute, vihuela and 19th century guitar, with some albeniz transcriptions thrown in; and (4) segovia's transcriptions of pieces by j.s. bach.

the digital sound in these recordings (almost all from the 1950's) is really superb, giving contour to every detail of the master tapes. it also reveals the changing recording standards of the early lp: though the sound is consistently vivid and balanced, the guitar is sometimes distant and echoy (a "tile bathroom" sound characteristic of the earliest lp's), or intimate but slightly muffled, or bright and contrasty with a hint of added reverb at the top. i was a little taken aback by the uneven dynamics and nail clatter that i hadn't noticed years ago in segovia's playing: modern recording and performance practice have changed expectations toward a more homogenous and finished sound. but there is a spontaneity, fire, grace, color, imagination and wit in segovia's playing that you won't find anywhere else ... well, excepting julian bream.

it's picky to second guess editorial decisions in a set as generous as this ... but what the heck: i really missed tansman's lovely suite of polish dances ("cavatina"), regretted the absence of a complete sonata or suite by manuel ponce, and would trade the boccherini "guitar" (transcribed cello) concerto for the castelnuovo-tedesco guitar concerto. that said, the performances here of rodrigo's "fantasia para un gentilhombre" and ponce's "concerto del sur" are among the best available, and the generous sampling sor etudes will remind all us graying guitarists of the many happy hours we spent practicing these pieces from the only edition then available -- segovia's own.

deutsche grammaphon has also released a 2-cd set of segovia recordings ("the art of andres segovia"), which duplicates only four pieces from this 4-cd boxed set, and veers more toward colorful transcriptions and single movement selections from longer works. together they make a 6 cd collection of many of the finest recordings by the man who started it all, spawned thousands of heirs and imitators -- and set the bar for them very, very high.

There's Only One Segovia.......2002-07-19

This is the PERFECT retrospective boxed set. DG has outdone itself with this career retrospective of Spanish classical guitar legend Andres Segovia. The set was released on the 15th anniversary of Segovia's death in 1987. From the famous "Fantasia para un gentilhombre" to transcriptions of J.S. Bach for the guitar, all four CDs showcase nothing but the genius of Segovia. The remastered DG recordings sound terrific and the accompanying booklet, complete with photographs from throughout the master's life in Spain, is excellent. If you love Spanish classical guitar and adore the 19th-Century romantic style of playing championed by Segovia, buy this set. You won't be disappointed. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Average customer rating:

A piece of musical heaven
La despedida?
Esto es Soda
Leyenda
Espero no sea lo ultimo que oigamos de Soda

El Ultimo Concierto, Pt. B
Soda Stereo
Manufacturer: Sony International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Argentina | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music

General | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Rock en Español | Latin Music | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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El Ultimo Concierto, Pt. A
Sueño Stereo
Comfort y Música Para Volar: Unplugged
El Ultimo Concierto
Canción Animal

ASIN: B000005MLI
Release Date: 1997-12-16

Tracks:

Disco Eterno
Planeador
Luna Roja
Te Para Tres
Cuando Pase El Temblor
Claroscuro
Persiana Americana
Un Million
Primavera O
Cae El Sol
De Musica Ligera

Customer Reviews:

A piece of musical heaven.......2005-02-17

(This review is for the set of 2 cds, A and B, that by all means should be considered toguether. Soda had to release 2 cd's for contractual reasons but we forgive them for this..)

Set yourself in Buanos Aires, at the packed River Plate stadium, August 1997. It is the last concert of what is without any doubt the greatest rock band to ever have come from latin-american soil. The unforgetable music of La Ciudad de la Furia, a song about the darker side of Buenos Aires itself, blares into the stadium and penetrates deep into the collective conciousness of the thousands of adoring fans. Now fast forward to the last song, De Musica Lijera, pure rock and roll bliss, fans screaming the lyrics like mad and amazing gutar riffs roaring for the last time. Everybody in the stadium knows that is to be the end of it. Soda Stereo is to be no more. They can put the sadness aside, in between these two moments all those present had been treated to an unadultaretad piece of music heaven. It is precisely that what this pair of cd's try to capture.

To overstate the importance of Soda Stereo to latin-american music is impossible. This band which fused elements of ska, new-wave, pure rock and others into music that was remarkably progressive for its time and place has influenced so many others that it effectively has placed itself at the top of the latin rock world. In the 80's they opened doors for what would later become a musical revival not seen in Argentina since the time of the tango. If you have not listened to their music yet, take some time to do it. Listen repeatedly to these cd's and pick up all of their subtlelties, for the music created by Soda is just plain great. Even if you do not understand a word of Spanish you will apreciate what you will be listening to.

Soda has always delivered better performances live than in the studio, feeding off the crowd's energy. The performances in these cd's are no exeption. Listen to classics like La ciudad de la furia, Persiana americana, Zoom, El temblor, Ella uso mi cabeza como un revolver, Cancion Animal, Musica lijera among others and understand what this band was all about.

It pains me to see some of the trash that inundated the american and world markets coming from latin-america and at the same time for there to be no difussion of some great music like the one Soda created. Some gems from latin-america are known worldwide such as Brazilian music, salsa, merengue and other colorful examples. It is time for the rocker side to be known too.

Sell all of your other music if you have to, but get these cd's.

La despedida?.......2004-07-07

Las despedidas siempre son duras. Es el caso de este Album. He escuchado el album, mas sin embargo no lo he comprado ni lo comprare. La razon es simple. es el ultimo, muchas de las canciones suenan opacas y con son de despedida; pese a ser lleno de vida, es inengable el hecho de saber que tocan por ultima vez y se despiden. (musicalmente se siente que tienen que cerrar un capitulo de su vida pero no quieren). Esto no quiere decir que no sea un buen trabajo. Lo es! pero tengo mi razon para no escucharlo y saber de ritmos mas alegres y locos de Soda Stereo que ustedes ya conocen en otros trabajos de ellos.

Esto es Soda.......2004-01-08

Junto al lado a. Demustra la fuerza que tubo durante toda su historia y la cual algunos la siguen hasta hoy.

Leyenda.......2003-01-29

Santiago de Chile, estadio Nacional, 70,000 personas, el sol cae tiniendo el cielo de rojo. Es el ultimo conciero de Soda. Las luces se apagan, y suenan los primeros acordes de una noche de magia. Cierro los ojos y escucho en trance. La multitud se transforma. Dolor y alegria se mezclan. Una noche de leyenda.
Esto es Soda.

Espero no sea lo ultimo que oigamos de Soda.......2002-01-15

Tanto el disco A como el B fueron grabados para documentar la última gira Soda Stereo por varias ciudades del continente. La principal razon para la edicion de dos discos separados fue cumplir con las clausulas del contrato con la disquera ya que la banda debía editar dos discos antes de dar por terminado su relación comercial con BMG.
Personalmente tuve la oportunidad de presencial "El Último Concierto" en el Poliedro de Caracas y estos dos discos resumen lo que en esa noche se vio. El concierto duró alrededor de tres horas donde practicamente Soda Stereo interpreto sus temas mas conocidos.

Customer Reviews:

Good for what it is, however narrow........2006-11-09

The Absolute Sound has been a premiere audiophile rag for decades. If you are one, you already know them. If not, then there is only a small chance their magazine will be useful to you. They have another publication for home theatre, "Perfect Vision" which has far broader appeal these days. SACD is the format for this disk. Many of them are pressed in "hybrid" for use on conventional CD players. SACD is a significant improvement on the CD, which initially promised "perfect sound forever".

Telarc is a particularly high quality label that supports SACD. They have a fine list of recordings that extends far beyond these chestnuts.

To appreciate this improvement you need to have a SACD player. So the best use of this disk is to bring it with you to different audio stores to audition their equipment. Over time it functions as a reference disk, or benchmark, as you compare different sound systems.

Because it has only bleeding hunks of well known classical music, it has little other value unless you are interested in classical music but have little experience of it. In that case it may serve as a sampler to lead you to buy complete recordings of these selections. But again you need the SACD player, which you may already have if you are a jazz or rock audiophile. Otherwise, pass it by.

Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso

Average customer rating:

Excellent recording
Highly Recommended!
Amazing
A gentleman musical agreement!
Extreme virtuosity

Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso
Johann Sebastian Bach , François Couperin , Gabriel Fauré , Isaac Albeniz , Anonymous , Francisco Tarrega (y Eixea) , Silvius Leopold Weiss , Claude Debussy , Maurice Ravel , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Gordon Young , Georg Philipp Telemann , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Manuel de Falla , Manuel Ponce , Enrique Granados , Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco , Andrew York , Fernando Sor , Gaspar Sanz , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Christopher Parkening
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

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Christopher Parkening plays Bach
Simple Gifts: Christopher Parkening
In the Spanish Style / Christopher Parkening
The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method - Volume 2: Guitar Technique
Christopher Parkening - A Tribute to Segovia

ASIN: B000002RTR
Release Date: 1993-09-14

Tracks:

Fugue From Violin Sonata No. 1, BWV 1001 - J S Bach
Estudio brillante
Etude No. 1 In E Minor
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Leyenda
Romance
Rumores de la Caleta
Capricho Arabe
Cantata 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 1
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 6
Cantata 140: Sleepers Awake
Prelude, Fugue, And Allegro: Allegro
Cantata 208: Sheep May Safely Graze
Les Barricades mysterieuses
Preambulo & Allegro vivo: Preambulo And Allegro vivo
Passacaglia
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair
Gymnopedie No. 1
Empress Of The Pagodas
Afro-Cuban Lullaby

Tracks:

Fourth Lute Suite: Praludium
Fairest Lord Jesus
Praise Ye The Lord, K. 339
Simple Gifts
Hymn Of Christian Joy
Cantata 29: We Thank Thee, Lord
Cantata 156: Arioso
Cantata 99: What God Hath Done
Canon
Dolly Suite: Berceuse
La Vida breve: Spanish Dance No. 1
Terezinha De Jesus
Prelude (In The Baroque Style)
Goyescas: Intermezzo
Prelude & Fugue No. 4 In E: Fugue
Evening Dance
Variations On A Theme Of Mozart
Canarlos
La Maja de Goya
El Noi de la Mare
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio - J. Rodrigo

Customer Reviews:

Excellent recording.......2007-05-12

If you are a fan of classical guitar than this is a must own set. I enjoy every moment.

Highly Recommended!.......2006-12-23

I would recommend this CD to anyone who loves music--period! Christopher Parkening is unquestionably one of the greatest classical guitarists of all-time. He embodies personal excellence like no other and is a brilliant artist. This CD is a must-have for any classical enthusiast. My favorite pieces include: Tárrega's "Recuerdos de la Alhambra," "Romance," Bach's "Prelude No. 6," and Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez." There are other versions of these pieces as well, but I always prefer Parkening's renditions, as they are oh so extraordinary--especially the recording of Aranjuez!! Other guitarists never seem to capture the essence of Rodrigo's musical masterpiece (e.g., Göran Söllescher in "Mad About Guitars"). But Parkening did! And the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was a perfect accompaniment.

This CD is definitely worth buying. Included is a CD booklet, which illustrates the history of Parkening's illustrious career, interesting tidbits about all 25 recorded pieces, and several photos of his early life to his "breathtaking performance" at Rodrigo's 90th birthday celebration at the Royal Festival Hall in London, 1992.

Amazing.......2006-05-08

I am not going to go into great detail. I am working on a degree in classical guitar and I can say this is something to strive for. His musical interpretation of the peices represented here are some of the best I've heard. His tone,color, and phrasing is incredible.

A gentleman musical agreement! .......2006-03-16

In guitar ` s playing there have been many renowned performers, gifted of exuberant technique. But curiously the Apollonian playing is not by itself strictly enough. The guitar is the instrument which is closer to heart as any other one. It demands from you passion and sentiment. There have been three well known guitarists, one of them from England and the other one from Spain and the third one from Japan whose sensibility was totally absent in their performances.

But fortunately for us, there have been notable interpreters that have been maintained a desired balance and contrast between brain and heart, achieving great distinction and total acknowledgement around the world. I would name seven primordial names along the instrument `s story. First of all: the mythic soloist Andres Segovia, Regino Sainz de la Maza, John Williams, Alirio Diaz, Manuel Berrueco, Siegfried Behrend and Christopher Parkening, among the most representative ones of a great list.

Christopher Parkening `s career has made a brilliant colorist, an impeccable and sensitive interpreter of this well reduced repertoire. His profound artistic conviction and convincing phrasing has been a perpetual motive of constant invitations and presentations around the world.

Extreme virtuosity.......2005-09-25

CP has become my chief inspiration to improve as a classical guitarist. His performances here are, without exception, phenomenal. He makes the most difficult pieces sound effortless. I prefer CP over John Williams because, while Williams is also unquestionably a master, he sounds a bit robotic to me at times. CP, on the other hand, never sacrifices musicality to precision. He sublimely maintains both.

Average customer rating:

Wonderfully captivating music by the tango master
When styles mix
Explains It All To Those Wounded in Love
Great sex music! Comes from the heart!
Piazzolla's Unofficial Interpreter

Hommage A Piazzolla

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tango | Latin Music | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Tracing Astor
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Tango: Zero Hour
La Camorra
The Rough Dancer and the Cyclical Night (Tango Apasionado)

ASIN: B000005J48
Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

Milonga En Re
Vardarito
Oblivion
Escualo
Histoire Du Tango: Cafe 1930
Concierto Para Quinteto
Soledad
Buenos Aires Hora Cero
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El Sol Sueno (Hommage A Astor Piazzolla)
Le Grand Tango

Amazon.com essential recording

Gidon Kremer, who plays the standard violin repertoire so well, has remained a restless explorer of music. Here is his first album of Piazzolla arrangements, introduced by a moving and perceptive assessment of Piazzolla by composer John Adams. Kremer has completely steeped himself in the spirit of the tango, and of Piazzolla's transformation of this music into concert works. The selection (mostly larger-scale Piazzolla works), the varied arrangements, and the compelling quality of the playing make this one of the best albums of this music not involving the composer's own performances. And if you love it, you'll be glad to know that Kremer's second Piazzolla album is also available. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully captivating music by the tango master.......2005-10-25

I was introduced to the music of Astor Piazzolla by the more than great violinist Gidon Kremer when he played a virtuosic tango as an encore. Whenever a rich new vein of wonderful music is opened to me, well, it makes for a bright and happy day. Not long after I picked up this CD and I can recommend it to you highly. This is more than just tango dance music, these are serious and contemplative compositions that use the Tango as the vehicle just as the classical and especially Baroque composers used their dance music for instrumental compositions. The music is full of mood, sensuality, rhythm, lush harmonies, dissonance, love, and pain. It is a music of contrasts and never gets too fussy or complicated. It wears its heart on its sleeve and draws us in because it is so charming.

Each piece has its own varied ensemble and the musicians in that ensemble also arrange the music for that track. Kremer leads from the violin in all of them, after all it is his album and his hommage to Piazzolla. However, the instruments used depend on the musical materials and mood of the piece. The piano is used quite a bit, and at times there are wind instruments. The bandoneón is required in tango, as well. It is a kind of concertina that was developed and made in Germany, but adopted in Argentina for the Tango. It has a wonderfully reedy sound and is played with buttons on each side of the bellows. Depending on the model, the note can change or stay the same whether you are pulling the bellows out or pushing them in, but in all of them there are two voices always at the octave and gives the bandoneón its characteristic sound.

The only composition not by Piazzolla is a very interesting tango included as a tribute to the master entitled "El sol sueño" by Jerzy Peterbushsky.

This is good music and a very enjoyable change of pace.

When styles mix.......2005-09-07

I bought this record following a live performance by Gidon Kremer et al. at the Verbier Festival. The mixture of classical music with a dose of jazz on a Latin base produces an interesting result that is quite surprising at first. However, the more one hears, the more the result grows on the listener, just as at the live show where the audience, somewhat stunned at the outset, gave a standing ovation at the end.

Overall, the mélange is pleasant, chill listening to be appreciated by fans of any of the three styles of music.

Explains It All To Those Wounded in Love.......2005-01-16

Ever have a moment where you loved someone so much you hated him?

Ever have a relationship you could not get out of your mouth, your mind, your heart, your system, but that you knew was over and done with forever and ever, and you'd never even see the other again?

Ever feel so happy you wanted to cry? No, sob? Wrenching, wracking sobs? From happiness, now.

Yes?

Have I got a CD for you: Hommage a Piazzolla, featuring Gidon Kremer.

Like many, I suspect, I have a mixed relationship to tango. When I put on a tango CD, I fear I'll be hearing something that sets my teeth to jangling and makes me want to slap someone in the face.

This isn't that. You could listen to most of this while sitting perfectly still, on a window sill, in fact, with the lights down low in your apartment, as you stare out at the rain-slicked city at night. A drink sits on a nearby table, unfinished...you have no will to finish it.

(It's hard not to imagine these things while listening to this music; really, it's all so poetic, cinematic, irresistable.)

At some point, though, you're probably not going to be able to sit still any more, and you'll have to put that rose in your teeth and cut a few moves.

Tango often sounds, to we non-Argentinians, like a parody of itself.

This CD does not.

Rather, when I put it on, not at all sure what to expect, I had one of those epiphanies that art can give you.

I had been brooding over a vexed relationship, one I did not understand, but knew was hurting me, not with any immediacy, but like a sore tooth that could stand to go a few more months before you get over your fear of the dentist to get it fixed.

What bugged me most of all was that I did not understand what was hurting. Rationally, I had no reason to feel troubled.

I put on this CD, with the relationship way in the back of my mind, and I just, immediately thought, "That's it. This music is explaining it all; this music is articulating everything."

Not bad.

This kind of music, music that allows in the true bittersweet of life, the unsolvable, the passion, is all too rare. If music that addresses those qualities is what you crave, this CD might be just what you need.

Great sex music! Comes from the heart!.......2004-07-21

The music and perforamance are so sensually played and achingly beautiful, the hairs on my neck and arms stand up on end. Listen to the opening track and tell me this is not great sex music. Yes, tango is a very sensual art form and this CD is great for those very intimate moments. Of course, sex aside, the music is nothing short of a miracle unto itself. That I was to discover this CD just last year meant I was without it for 7 years since it was released. My life is richer for this and other Piazzolla works done by Kremer.
This CD has become one of those "island" CDs that you would take if you wer so to become deserted on one. You should be so lucky!

Piazzolla's Unofficial Interpreter.......2001-04-12

I first became aware of this CD several years ago as its melancholy strains wafted through the air of a bookstore through which I was browsing. My ears perked up...Piazzolla!!! Upon inquiry, I was shown the CD and I immediately purchased a copy. I couldn't wait to get home and listen to it at elevated volume. What a recording!! Kremer has captured and distilled the essence of Piazzolla's music. Every song is a masterpiece and nearly all of my favorite mid-period Piazzolla compositions are contained within. A special treat is the magnum opus which closes the set, a 12-minute rendering of Le Grand Tango with just Kremer's violin and the restrained passion of Vadim Sakharov's piano to lead your mind into another musical dimension. Gidon Kremer has since recorded a number of Piazzolla-related CDs and in so doing has set himself up as the unofficial interpreter of El Maestro's music. If you like Piazzolla, you are sure to enjoy this CD. I give it my highest recommendation.

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