Search - Joaquin Turina, Enrique Granados, Isaac Albeniz :: Music of Spain

Interesting orchestral version of Granados "Dances"

zaphod_4964 | Mexico | 06/09/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There are things here that will surely please both those already initiated in the world of early XXth century Spanish composers as well as those newcomers interested in getting a general idea about this relatively unfamiliar territory, for with the exception of the numbers from De Falla's "El Amor Brujo" we rarely find this programme in any other CD. You must be warned, however, that if you are looking for "El Amor Brujo", you should turn to another record (most recommendable is Charles Dutoit's version with Montreal Symphony orch. on Decca) for this one doesn't contains the whole score and the recording quality is overall a bit brashy. In spite of that the performances are mostly idiomatic and contagious, if not immaculate, with a conductor and an orchestra that can feel very comfortable with this kind of music as it suits their latin heritage. The main interest this CD comprises is the rare possibility of listening a version of three of Granados "12 spanish Dances" in a brilliant and highly enjoyable orchestation by J. Lamote de Grignon (a celebrated conductor founder of the Barcelona Symphony Orch. at the beggining of the XXth century and also a remarkable composer). Turina's pieces ("La procesión del Rocío" and "La oración del Torero) contain a fine melodic sense and are richly orchestated. The same can be said of Albeniz's "Catalonia""