Rodrigo : Solo Guitar Works

On this CD:

1. Por los campos de España, for guitar
Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo
Performed by Angel Romero

2. Junto al Generalife, for guitar
Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo
Performed by Angel Romero

3. Sonata giocosa, for guitar
Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo
Performed by Angel Romero

4. Invocación y danza, for guitar ("Homenaje a Manuel de Falla")
Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo
Performed by Angel Romero

5. Pequeñas piezas (3) for guitar
Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo
Performed by Angel Romero

6. Pájaros de primavera, for guitar
Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo
Performed by Angel Romero

7. Un tiempo fue itálica famosa, for guitar
Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo
Performed by Angel Romero

Tracks:

Albeniz: Asturias
Albeniz: Tango
Sanz: Canarios
Rodrigo: Fandango
Torroba: Nocturno
Segreras - El Colibri
Albeniz: Sonata in D
De Falla: The Corregidor's Dance
De Falla: Fisherman's Song
De Falla: The Miller's Dance
Torroba: Madronos
La Nit de Nadal
El Noy de la Mare
Granados: Ma Maja de Goya
Abeniz: Cordoba
Tarrega: Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Granados: Spanish Dance No. 5
El Testamen de Amelia
Villa-Lobos: Prelude No. 4 in E Minor
Albeniz: Sevilla
De Falla: Homanaje
Mudarra: Fantasia
Turina: Fandanguillo

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Introduction to Spanish Classical Guitar Music.......2005-09-18

As a sampler, this CD is an excellent introduction both to Spanish classical guitar music and to guitarist John Williams.
The music ranges from Renaissance composers (Sanz, Mudarra) and harmonized folk melodies to standard 20th Century works (Rodrigo, Torroba etc).

John Williams is excellent throughout. The CD is also cheap, and can be used either just for enjoyment, or further to explore other recordings by Williams, the classical guitar repertoire, or other classical guitarists.

As a marketing ploy, it is very effective.

For the collector or classical guitar enthusiast, the chief disadvantages of the CD are duplication of other recordings, and that the way at least some of the works on this CD are listed isn't helpful in telling the listener the set(s) to which these pieces belong and how to find them (e.g. "from ______, Op # "). The font listing the titles and track numbers is small and somewhat hard to read.

However, this CD should attract many listeners and enthusiasts both to the classical guitar, the repertoire, and guitarist John Williams - and I'm all for that.

Over 70 minutes playing time.

Recommended.

The guitar is an orchestra in miniature!.......2005-02-05

This admirable concept belongs to Hector Berlioz and it must not be a surprise the best guitarrists in the story have in common this trademark.

John Williams has always known the delicate equilibrium between the expresiveness and the glamouer. His impresive technique however is not exposed as his prima edonna. He goes directly to the soul of the composer, melts in his spirit and let the music sharp the qith eloquent conviction the composer's demanded atmosphere.

From Granados to Albeniz, from Rodrigo to Agustin Barrios - El indio Mangore -, from Moreno Torroba to Ponce , you will find the warmth, the passion and the Midas touch of this golden guitarrist.

GUITAR MAJESTY.......2004-12-21

John Williams is a true Guitar virtuoso. His repetoire is very extensive and I use his music in my office while I work at my daily office duties. This album is a must for all guitar enthusiasts old or young.

Sweet, sweet music, an essential addition to your collection.......2004-12-07

I originally bought this album three years ago, looking for a good introduction to Spanish guitar music. And this one fits that need perfectly. I still listen to and enjoy it today. I play this for guests at happy hour or dinner for a relaxed atmosphere. At Amazon's current price, this is a great value.

A True Classic.......2004-01-26

This album/cd is extraordinary. All the songs are gorgeous and exciting to listen to. John Williams' interpretation and technique are perfect. After 22 years of listening to it, I still enjoy and appreciate it more every time. I love giving it as a gift.

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
Spanish Guitar Music

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.

Average customer rating:

Great Guitars
A good mix
Great music CD collection for guitar music listeners
This is a really good choice for your morning music CD
Great music played by great musicians

Mad About Guitars

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mad about Piano
Mad About Violins
Mad About Baroque
Mad about The Classics
Mad About Bach

ASIN: B000001GKH
Release Date: 1993-07-13

Tracks:

Cavatina
Granada
Spanish Dance No. 5
Romance D'Amour
Fantasia For A Gentleman: Adagio
Fantasia For A Gentleman: Danza de las hachas
Malaguena
La Filla Del Marxant
The Three Cornered Hat: The Miller's Dance
Recuerdos de la Alhambra: Andante
Sonata: Presto
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio
Concierto de Aranjuez: Allegro gentile
Portrait
Sonata, K. 322: Allegro
Greensleeves
Georgia On My Mind
Fugue In G Minor - Bach

Customer Reviews:

Great Guitars.......2007-03-28

A really spectacular show of top guitarists in famous works
I enjoy it often and it inspires me when I write my columns

Leo Blok
(Journalist from the Netherlands)

A good mix.......2006-11-11

A good collection for someone fairly new to classical guitar. I have over 300 guitar recordings, but I still enjoyed this CD - a good one on the road, for example. Nice pieces and performances.

Great music CD collection for guitar music listeners.......2002-03-15

I really understand that there's no music CD could fulfill our satisfaction of music. But it does. I can find most of my favorite guitar classical songs here, and it's very nice listening them: Cavatina (from the Deer Hunter), Romance D'Amour, Recuerdos de la Alhambra, etc. I have several favorites not included in this album: Capricho Arabe-Lagrima-Adelita, and lucky me I have them on my other CDs. Go get this CD!! By buying this 1 CD, you'll have more than half of classical guitars you've ever wanted!

This is a really good choice for your morning music CD.......2001-11-08

There is something about classical guitar that is just so appropriate to background morning music as "Mad About Guitars" will quickly prove to you. Like most people, I am not overly familiar with classical guitar pieces; once you get past "Granada" I certainly could not name another work that I would expect to hear on such an album. The only other familiar pieces are "Greensleeves" and "Georgia on My Mind," and, yes, now that I think of it "Greensleeves" is a guitar piece, but then this album concludes with Bach's Fugue in G. So this collection is certainly going to broaden your horizons in terms of classical guitar. You will also come away with a great appreciation for Giran Sillscher, who plays the guitar on two-thirds of the selections. In fact, "Portrait," was written for Sillscher by Stanley Myers, which is certainly a nice testimonial to his skill. If you have a CD player in your alarm clock, this is an excellent choice for finding a happy home therein.

Great music played by great musicians.......2000-03-20

I think this CD is the best compilation of classical guitar music that's out there. Deutsche Grammophon has done a great job of picking the best pieces and the best players. Buy this CD!

Average customer rating:

The classical heritage

Music of Spain

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rachmaninov: His Complete Recordings
Bach: The Landowska Recordings
The Verdi Recordings
Bach: Lute Suites, Trio Sonatas
Grieg: Complete Solo Piano Music

ASIN: B0009U55QA
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Customer Reviews:

The classical heritage .......2006-04-16

The visible embellishment of this noble instrument was enriched still more by the Spanish composers, who following the traces of his contemporaries. In the case of Fernando Sor, Haydn was his musical guide, where as Aguado, could establish himself with major vehemence, due its particular style, based in the notable right-hand articulation, eschewed the classical patterns, being able to print his own music a flamboyant and refined character.

In the particular case of Fernando Sor, we have a wisdom blending of the counterpoint technique, an evocative mood from his own that, added the well known influence of the Italian composers (Domenico Cimarrosa and Giovanni Batista Pergolesi) and his beloved love for the Operatic genre, allowed him to enrich still more the lyrical possibilities of the guitar. Besides, unlike Nicolo Paganini, for instance fortunately did not transform the guitar in a simple device to show his overwhelming gifts. He used the guitar to play music, on the opposite approach of Paganini who used the music as mere device to play his instrument.

In the guitar genre there has not been most deserved and superb tribute to Mozart that this Variations Op. 9 based on a motive of The most famous Mozart ?s Magic Flute. Loaded of such imaginative freshness and enraptured inspiration you may notice that one of the Variations conserves an undeniable Italian flavor; this is one of the most beloved hidden treasures the guitar can offers us, which raise with special charm in the hands of this formidable soloist.

Aguado on the contrary acquired due his personal state of things, a notable adroitness who excelled by far, to Sor, so his musical approaches rode in opposite directions, trying to exploit at maximum levels the technical possibilities of the instrument.

Julian Bream makes a colossal tribute to both composers in this egregious and golden album.

Average customer rating:

Best five bucks you'll ever spend on a classical guitar CD
Pleasing but not perfect
Not what I was looking for
Remastered...and Rediscovered
Hauntingly beautiful

Malagueña: Spanish Guitar Music

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tárrega: Recuerdos De La Alhambra; Lágrima; Danza mora; Etc. [Germany]
Romance D'Amour
Sor, Aguado, Tárrega: 19th Century Guitar Favourites
Masters of Flamenco Guitar

ASIN: B00004Z33R
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

Malaguena (Transcr: N. Yepes)
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Marieta: Mazurka
Capricho arabe - Serenata
Tango
En los trigales
Concion y danza No. 1
Inroduction And Variations On A Theme By Mozart, Op. 9
Suite Espanola (Arr: N. Yepes): Espanoletas
Suite Espanola (Arr: N. Yepes): Gallarda y Villano
Suite Espanola (Arr: N. Yepes): Danza de las hachas
Suite Espanola (Arr: N. Yepes): Rujero y Paradetas
Suite Espanola (Arr: N. Yepes): Zarabanda al ayre espanol
Suite Espanola (Arr: N. Yepes): Passacalle
Suite Espanola (Arr: N. Yepes): Folias
Suite Espanola (Arr: N. Yepes): La Minona de Cataluna
Suite Espanola (Arr: N. Yepes): Canarios
Fantasia que contrahaze la harpa en la manera de Ludovico
Sonata In E Major
Suite espanola: 5. Asturias. Leyenda
Danza espanola No. 4: Villanesca (Transcr.: N. Yepes)
El sombrero de tres picos: Danza del molinero. Farruca
Romance (From The Film 'Forbidden Games')

Customer Reviews:

Best five bucks you'll ever spend on a classical guitar CD.......2007-04-06

I can't help but think that because it's five dollars some people have to get snobby about this collection. In my humble opinion the recordings of "Malaguena," "Capricho Arabe," "En Los Trigales," and "Introduction, Theme, & Variations on a Theme From Mozart" are the standard by which all others should be judged. And nobody else can touch his interpretation of Granados' "Villanesca." Except perhaps for Manuel Barrueco, but the way Narciso uses harmonics for the pedal tone is something that feels so natural, you can't listen to a fretted version ever again w/o wishing it was done in harmonics! The rest of the album is typical Narciso. Amazing dynamics and phrasing with flawless technical execution. I don't really believe that anyone else in the history of classical guitar has been able to carry a counterpoint with such defined independence. A true 20th century master. His tone may be a bit on the treble side for "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" but why even play that after Pepe put his mark on it? ;)
This collection is nearly identical to a cassette tape I used to own 20 some odd years ago except that "Rumores de la Caleta" and perhaps one or two others are not included with this compilation.

Pleasing but not perfect.......2007-02-14

This CD is packed with the classics and must hear of classical music. There are some pieces I wouldnt have included and others that I would have, but overall it's in my #3 rotation.

Not what I was looking for .......2007-01-09

I was looking for the "old" guitar version on Malaguena that I have heard several times before. I didn't recognize this version.

Remastered...and Rediscovered.......2006-12-24

There are two CD's available with this exact same program; this one has an "ambient surround imaging" applied to it, which is a pleasant effect on a surround sound system. Yepes' guitar sounds a bit recessed, but the tape hiss that was present on his budget-label LP recordings that I have is virtually gone. The dynamics have also been improved. At this price, it's a great buy, and a nice introduction to the Spanish guitar from a true master.

Hauntingly beautiful.......2001-08-20

Something to listen to when you are on a long flight and missing the new lover you left behind. Just simply beautiful music.......

Grace Like A River - Christopher Parkening

Average customer rating:

Grace Like A River - Christopher Parkening
old stuff under new cover....

Grace Like A River - Christopher Parkening

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Grace Like a River
Jubilation
Christopher Parkening - A Tribute to Segovia
Simple Gifts: Christopher Parkening
Angels' Glory

ASIN: B000F2CAN8
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Tracks:

Moderato And Presto From Koyunbaba
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Rumores De La Caleta
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Concierto De Aranjuez - II. Adagio
Etude
Romance
Empress Of The Pagodas
Preambulo And Allegro Vivo
Chaconne From Violin Partita No. 2
Concerto For Guitar & Orchestra - II. Reflections
Guitar Concerto No. 1 IN D - III. Ritmico E Cavalleresco

Amazon.com

A tie-in with Parkening's similarly titled autobiography, this disc samples some of the guitarist's "greatest hits" and includes two tracks of special interest: a preview of a forthcoming release and a rarity from his youth. Parkening's fans will find the latter fascinating. Dating from 1963, it features the 15-year old soloist in his orchestral concert debut in a very respectable performance of a movement from Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Guitar Concerto No. 1. The preview is a live excerpt from Carlo Domeniconi's Koyunbaba that whets the appetite for more of this Italian composer's Turkish-influenced music. The rest of the disc abounds in previously release, wonderfully executed virtuoso guitar pieces that are display pieces for the instrument at its most expressive. There are Bach arrangements, a generous selection of Spanish works, and the slow movement from Elmer Bernstein's Guitar Concerto. This disc is a must for Parkening's fans and an excellent introduction to classical guitar for the rest of us. -- Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Grace Like A River - Christopher Parkening.......2007-02-22

A summary of Christopher Parkening's recording career. Good selection of material.

old stuff under new cover...........2006-07-22

Parkening was once among the top 5 guitarists in the world but that's when segovia was still alive. Parkening's last CD release was in 2000 (Christopher Parkening · Elmer Bernstein ~ Concerto for Guitar - E. Bernstein · Albeniz · Marshall). The reason why he has not produced any new album in 6 years is mysterious to me.

This so called "new" CD, contains only two new (and incomplete) piece of work "Moderato And Presto From Koyunbaba" and the first ever release of Christopher Parkening's live performance of the third movement of Tedesco's Guitar Concerto recorded when Chris was just fifteen years old. All the rest are old stuff and almost all can be found in his 25 year EMI celebration album (The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso) which includes much more of his best (2 discs).

I usually consider it lame for publishers to make money out of old stuff (like what sony did with many of John Williams albums). The Koyunbaba is just a "preview" and the complete version is scheduled to be released on a next album (just to hook you up). In this new track of koyunbaba, Parkening put in many legatos so that the piece sounds very artificial and over-manipulated. It is intriguing at the begining, though.

On the other hand, i would recommend buying his autobiography of the same title. It is about 300 pages, hard cover and sells for about the same price as this CD. It even include a free sampler (3 tracks) of this CD.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding music and great value!!
Excellent
Very Highly Recommended

Guitarra española

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach J.S.: Works For Lute [Germany]
Romance D'Amour
Tárrega: Recuerdos De La Alhambra; Lágrima; Danza mora; Etc. [Germany]
Malagueña: Spanish Guitar Music
Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra

ASIN: B0000B09Z5
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding music and great value!!.......2006-04-02

Narciso Yepes is my favorite classical guitarist. I was delighted to hear a couple guitar concertos I had never heard before. Ohana, Bacarisse, and Ruiz-Pipo were great discoveries. Again, Yepes is the BEST. Strongly recommended.

Excellent.......2005-08-22

The late Narciso Yepes is perhaps my favorite guitarist- Spanish or otherwse. With each of his recordings there is the sense of a madman, master, and poet at one with his instrument. I recently purchased "Guitarra espagnola" and have found endless enjoyment listening critically and as background while I work. This is the perfect "not background music" background music to play when you have guests. You and your guests will find yourself withdrawing from lively conversations to enjoy a poignant, sweet, or sinister moment with the music. This is a compilation of recordings from the past 20 to 30 years. The compositions span from the 17th to 20th century. The quality of the recordings is very good but at times varied. The availability of the compilation is very limited. Get it while you can! I also recommend Alirio Diaz and John Williams.

Very Highly Recommended.......2004-05-08

I cannot recommend this retrospective of just a small amount of Yepes's work highly enough.

No matter what popular and lay opinions may be about Williams, Bream, Segovia, and others, the greatest classical guitarist of the 20th century was Narciso Yepes. It is a pity and a shame that the fear of the older generation of guitarists and their associates made Yepes a marginal figure.

He was a consummate technician and a knowledgeable interpreter of all musical idioms from the Middle Ages through to the height of the 20th Century avant-garde. His playing was characterized by intelligence, sensibility, clarity, power, majesty, poetry, and a devilish ability to separate and sustain contrapuntal lines.

In this box of 5 CDs you will find the definitive performance of Rodrigo's now famous "Aranjuez" concerto, which, incidentally, was first recorded and made famous by Yepes. There are also 2 CDs with rare concertos by Salvador Bacarisse, Antonio Ruiz-Pipo, and Maurice Ohana.

The other 3 CD's contain generally the best performances of the canon of solo guitar works that you are likely to find. The composers include Sanz, Mudarra, Narvaez, Soler, Sor, Albeniz, Granados, Tarrega, De Falla, Turina, Bacarisse, Rodrigo, Llobet, Pujol, Moreno Torroba, Montsalvatge, Ohana, and Ruiz-Pipo.

Every guitarist and every lover of the instrument should own this set. If it is not available, also refer to a similar box set with the ASIN number B00006L6RN or another B000026ZRL.

The Art of Pepe Romero: Guitar Favorites

Average customer rating:

Maestro Fantastico!
As usual a Romero delivers
Not so good for the car
The Music Evokes Feelings of Joy and Comfort
Great CD!

The Art of Pepe Romero: Guitar Favorites

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Los Romeros: The Rodrigo Collection

ASIN: B00076YNGO
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Spirito
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Gentile
Etude No.1 In E Minor
Prelude No.2 In E Major
II. Schottisch-Choro
V. Chorinho
Choro No.1
Romance
Fantasy On Themes From Verdi's La Traviata
Variations On A Theme By Handel, Op.107
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andantino: Siciliano
III. Polonaise: Allegretto

Tracks:

I. (Allegro Giusto)
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Ya Se Van Los Pastores
II. Por Caminos De Santiago
III. Pequena Sevillana
I. Allegretto Vivace - Allegro - Allegro Molto
II. Andante - Allegretto - Allegro - Allegretto
III. Tangos Y Tientos: Allegretto - Largo - Allegro
Tango No.2
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
I. Allegro Deciso
II. Andante Calmo
III. Allegro Moderato

Customer Reviews:

Maestro Fantastico!.......2007-04-28

Each note is a jewel that he performs with such life that you feel your heart beating to his rhythm. His left hand is amazingly clean but the stregnth and dynamics of his right hand could perform CPR without placing his hand on you. Gracias Dios para Celedonio haciendo Pepe !

As usual a Romero delivers.......2007-03-23

I love this album but then again I love almost everything from the Romeros. I can't wait to see Corazon Espanol up on Amazon though. The sound quality is amazing. I got a copy at one of Pepe's performances and fell in love. I want to send get more of them to send as gifts for my friends and family.

Not so good for the car.......2007-03-17

While on the highway when only the guitar is playing I have to turn up the volume to hear the music. Then suddenly the entire orchestra joins in and the windows rattle from the blast of sound. I could not find a volume level that worked for this disk. The music was lovely but the sound engineering was disappointing.

The Music Evokes Feelings of Joy and Comfort.......2007-01-02

Listening to this album gives me the feeling of being three years old and starting to fall asleep after dinner and my father picking me up and carrying me to bed. I cannot describe how his music envelopes me-- I do not know why but every time I hear it I start to tear up. On this CD he is backed by an orchestra and hearing him play and them back him so perfectly is a delight to the ears. I play this CD for everything-- but I like it when I am lying down after a workout with candles lit and I can just close my eyes and melt into the music. I am not a music person-- I know very little and only know what I like but cannot explain it, but this CD is very, very wonderful. If you like guitar music of the classic genre, you will love this CD.

Great CD!.......2006-08-10

I put it on and press repeat. Very beautiful music and the orchestra is wonderful.

Average customer rating:

Guitar Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Guitar Greatest Hits

ASIN: B0000DJZ7L
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

Sevilla - Eduardo Fernandez
Granada - Andres Segovia
Tango, Op. 165, No. 2 - Pepe Romero
Spanish Dance No. 5, Op. 37 'Andaluza' - Pepe Romero
Asturias - Pepe Romero
Recuerdos De La Alhambra - Eduardo Fernandez
Soleares - Eduardo Fernandez
Malague Pepe Romero
Romance D'Amore - Goran Sollscher
Bouree - Narciso Yepes
Gavotte - Pepe Romero
Canarios - Alexandre Lagoya
Sonata In E Major, K.380 (L23) - Pepe Romero
Cavatina - Goran Sollscher
Largo - Goran Sollscher
Allegro - Pepe Romero
Adagio - Pepe Romero
Villano Y Ricercare (Adagietto - Andante Moderato - Andres Segovia

John Williams: The Seville Concert from the Royal Alcázar Palace

Average customer rating:

Satisfactory, though not great.
My song-by-song review of the master guitarist John Williams

John Williams: The Seville Concert from the Royal Alcázar Palace

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001ENYEO
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Tracks:

Sevilla (Sevillanas)
Prelude
Andante
I. Allegro Giusto
II. Largo
III. Allegro
Sakura Variations
Usher Waltz, Op.29 (After Edgar Allan Poe)
Asturias (Leyenda)
Sueno En La Floresta
Adagio
Torre Bermeja
Granada
Cadiz
Cordoba

Customer Reviews:

Satisfactory, though not great........2007-04-07

The previous reviewer complains about Williams' lack of expressiveness, though acknowledging the artist's accurate playing. Well, I kind of feel that way about Williams in general. His skill highlights accuracy, in my opinion. Where I like Williams most is on the couple of CD's on which he and Julian Bream play together. Never-the-less, the cd under review has its merits and I enjoy some its pieces.

My song-by-song review of the master guitarist John Williams.......2005-07-08

1. Sevilla (Sevillanas)
--This popular guitar piece is usually played slow and without a strong direct rhythm, such as Williams plays here. While Segovia was responsible for taking the quite mediocre flamenco song and making it more expressive as a classical guitar piece, Williams improved on all those extra notes Segovia put in, by restoring the original dance rhythym (sevilla means dance).

2. Prelude to the Fourth Lute Suite.
--This piece is extremely complex, full of notes and usually satisfies the average listener because it doesn't repeat phrases as much as the other songs in this set. Beginning classical guitarists will hear this and immediately go get the sheet music or tablature for it to start learning it. They are doomed too. The piece is far too advanced. Williams' version here is popular because of how utterly note-for-note flawless it is, in spite of being so complex and difficult that Segovia even said it was impossible to play on guitar!

3. Andante
--I think Amazon.com has mistitled this piece. It is the exact same song as "Sonata in D minor" on the regular CD. But anyway, again, Williams plays flawlessly a difficult piece, but this one is more mellow than the Prelude.

4. I. Allegro Giusto
5. II. Largo
6. III. Allegro
--I personally thought these three movements sounded slightly "rushed", especially the slower second movement "Largo".

7. Sakura Variations
--Williams plays this traditional popular Japanese song several times, each being a different style of the same tune. Nice way to keep things interesting.

8. Usher Waltz, Op.29 (After Edgar Allan Poe)
--This song appears to be nothing but "smart noise", as I like to say. It requires technical feats of skill, but it seems to just spin it's wheels, and would do little more than draw comical smiles if played at a restaurant or club for an audience.

9. Asturias (Leyenda)
--This is a popular piece that just says "spanish pride" all over it. Those who never heard it before would swear this is a soundtrack to a film about wars in old Mexico. While this version is tight, Williams recorded this song back in the 80's on an album called "Spanish Guitar Music", and this earlier version I feel has more power and gusto, while the version on this Seville Concert Album doesn't quite have that earliers gustoin spite of it's own praiseworthy traits.

10. Sueno En La Floresta
--I am a true dedicated fan of John Williams, and I don't like seeing people say he doesn't play with soul, etc. However, while this advanced virtuosic tremelo piece composed by Barrios is technically perfect, it sounds "rushed"; and those small pauses and breaks that give a piece "soul" are all but absent here. He should have slowed it down just a bit. Did Williams ever play this piece with soul? Yes. In 1978, found on his album "John Williams plays barrios".

11. Adagio
--Otherwise titled "Concerto de Arajaunez", guitar + symphony piece composed by Joquin Rodrigo, and intended to highlight the guitar, by giving it most of the limelight. This is very different from the orchestra concertos in songs 4, 5 and 6 on this same album. Williams gives the guitar true color and expression in each of the solo spots.

12. Torre Bermeja
--Some songs just have a very thick authentic "Mexican" sound to them more so than others, and this would be such one. It was Segovia who popularized the notion that no classical guitarist should play one song the same way all the time. I personally feel that the earlier version Williams recorded back in 1958 when he was 17, despite the lessor quality clarity in the recording, is much more expressive. That was when Williams was fresh out of Segovia school.

13. Granada
--A soft and moving Spanish piece, the one you'd want to have playing when your girlfriend walks in the door to eat the gourmet dinner with you under soft lights. This is the stuff I listen to when everybody is out of the house and I can just sit back with nothing but this album and a six-pack of beer and just *V E G* for a precious 3 minutes. Or I'll put the CD player on repeat and turn it into an hour.

14. Cadiz
--A rather lively swashbuckling piece that didn't do a damn thing for me personally. I am a classical guitarist, and this one will never be in my repetoire.

15. Cordoba
--A very expressive piece with a slow beautiful yet haunting beginning, evoking images of the Mosk in Spain. The main body of the song requires some of the most impossible guitar fingering, and yet Williams brings it out without buzzing strings or squeaks. In the video "The Seville Concert", Williams introduces this piece by saying that Cordoba is his personal favorite.

--

Overall, while the extra songs on this special edition CD are interesting, they are not sufficient to justify the extra price, and IMO it is only Cordoba which justifies the increased price. The average person, whether amatuer guitarist or not should be satisfied with what amounts to a culmination of Williams' unbelievably accurate playing. This album however will not satisfy guitar enthusiasts who prioritize feeling and soul more than technical perfection. He simply just doesn't "take his time" often enough for that crowd of listeners.

If I had produced this album, I would have shelved "Cadiz", and put William's latest recording of "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" on it instead; the famous tremelo piece by Tarrega which is the "most" Spanish sounding piece in all the guitar literature in guitarist majority opinion. Cadiz is simply awful. I never thought any noise could be worse than "Usher Waltz". Boy was i wrong!

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