Search - Leo Brouwer :: Leo Brouwer: Guitar Music, Vol. 1

A score for Naxos

Stephen Taylor | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | 09/06/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1939, Leo Brouwer has written some of the most diverse music for any instrument during the last 60 years. You can hear his Cuban background in the dynamic Afro-Cuban strains of his work. And of course, as in all guitar music, there's a rich Spanish element (in fact, one of Brouwer's guitar teachers studied under a pupil of Francisco Tárrega). But on top of that there's this interesting undercurrent of American folk music from the 1960s, which surely makes Brouwer unique among Latin guitar composers. Plus, you'll be able to hear the influence of Messiaen, Bartok, Shostakovich, and Stravinsky in works like the "Preludio" of 1956 (written when Browuer was 17), "Fuga No. 1", and "Elogio a la danza". As a young guitarist Brouwer was disappointed that few of the great composers of his day had written anything for the guitar, so he just wrote it himself. He wrote his four books of "Estudios sencillos", for example, to provide guitar students with a contemporary alternative to the classic works of men like Sor, Carcassi, and Coste.This is a great place to begin if you've never listened to anything by Brouwer. It's also incredibly cheap. Ricardo Cobos is one of the foremost interpreters of Brouwer's work and it's good to see such a quality recording come out on the inexpensive Naxos label. All I want to know is: where are the other volumes if this one's just the first? 5 stars."

More then excellent

Mr. R. Van Schelven | Leidschendam, The Netherlands | 01/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is Brouwer at his best. I never heard anyone playing Brouwer better. If you like the music of Leo Brouwer then I would more then recommend this Cd to you. I hope I will hear more of Ricardo Cobo who is not only technically excellent but he makes music. The feeling in some of the pieces is magic."

Another great Naxos disc

Phillip Hintze | Houston, TX | 04/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Naxos label has done a great deal of good for the classicalguitar community, and this disc is a great example. Ricardo Cobo hasestablished himself as perhaps the greatest performer of Leo Brouwer's guitar music. This collection of Brouwer's guitar music contains his most popular pieces: the simple studies, Elogia de la danza, Canción de Cuna, and several others. I really can't say enough about this disc... there is no reason not to add it to your collection. END"