Search - Conjunto 9, Orquesta Astor Piazzolla, Amelita Baltar :: Edicion Critica: La Bicicleta Blanca

Another One Chiefly For Completeists

Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 06/26/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone seeing this listed under Astor Piazzolla might be puzzled as to why they had not seen it before. I've been a Piazzolla fan for years and never saw it, but then I live in the United States and there are probably many AP recordings once available only in Argentina that have yet to be reissued.

Edicion Critica: La Bicicleta Blanca is one that I had not seen until recently. Since there was little posted information, I couldn't be sure how many of these "songs" I already owned on other recordings. As it turns out, I already had about half of them, but they are the bonus cuts. Those who know the Piazzolla chronology well can guess the time frame for this by the prominence of Amelita Baltar, but without actually hearing it you could only guess what was on it. Now you will find out.

As with Edicion Critica: En Persona, these songs were written during the period of collaboration between Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer. Except for one piece, all are Piazzolla/Ferrer compositions. The first seven pieces are half-spoken, half-sung recitations of Ferrer's poetry by Baltar with , with the background accompaniment of Piazzolla's bandoneon. A couple of these are also on En Persona recited by Ferrer, but a few others are new to me.

Baltar has a voice well suited to Ferrer's poetry, but if you are expecting any music, that won't really come until you hear the bonus tracks. The problem with the bonus tracks provided is that they are the same ones seemingly always thrown in on Piazzolla compilations of this period. They are very good songs, but I must own them already on at least a half-dozen other CDs. You know the ones I'm talking about: La Primera Palabra, Las Ciudades, Los Paraguas de Buenos Aires etc...

So to sum it up, La Bicicleta Blanca is a CD that is chiefly for completeists. While it is pleasant, there is nothing in the portion that comprised the original issue that is essential, and the second part most Piazzollistas will already have. If you can get it cheap, well then go for it, but otherwise hold your wallet."