Search - :: The Soul Of Spain

Stereo from the 1950's?

Harry G. Arnold | Oak Ridge, TN United States | 11/23/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"(UPDATE: April 8, 2009) This review was written over three years ago. Amazon now shows two album pictures: One has the picture of a senorita; the other is the old LP Yellow jacket with Red Letters. In looking at the contents of the one with the woman's picture, it appears to be a much expanded version of the album (but it still doesn't have "Cantina Toreros" or many of the old Vol. II songs). The Yellow and Red one now lists only the original six selections from the old LP. Alas, this review is out of date, but interpretable. I will copy it to the reviews for the Yellow and Red album.



I have also copied the old Volume II LP to CD; so I can now listen to "Cantina Toreros" along with the "Malaguena" on my CD players.



The original 33-1/3 LP of the Soul of Spain, Vol I, came out around 1959. The first two volumes of the Soul of Spain that I owned were on the Stereo Fidelity label as I recall, so named because they were some of the first stereo recordings. The original CD of the Soul of Spain came out around 1996 and had the same cover graphic (yellow-with-red-letters) as the Vol 1 LP from 1959. The CD pictured at Amazon.com doesn't have the same cover as the original CD, but I have seen a "sell date" of 1997 for it and it has the same mix of some, but not all, of the songs from the original Vol I and II LPs. For example, I know "El Cid" and "Granada" are from the original Vol II. I don't remember if "Cantina Toreros" is from Vol II or some other 101 Strings collection, but it is not on this CD -- listener's loss.



Although I am not absolutely sure the media being offered by Amazon is the same recording I own, I have at least heard the same music as played by the 101 Strings. This review is based on listening to the original CD since 1996 and on more than 30 years of listening to the original LPs before that.



First, almost all of the 101 Strings recordings, whether vinyl or digital, are somewhat harsh to my ears in the high frequencies. Turn down the treble and turn up the mid range and bass slightly and it will smooth out enough to be pleasant.



Second, you have not heard the "Malaguena" until you hear the 101 strings play it. It lasts around 10 minutes and you can almost see the music flow across the sound plane from one part of the orchestra to another.



Finally, I think that anyone who likes traditonal or classical Spanish music arranged for orchestra will like this CD. If you don't, you might try the more highly stylized arrangements from the sound track to "The Return of Zorro". Come to think of it, try both the Zorro sound track and the Soul of Spain.

"

Simply wonderful music!

Alan I. Grundemeier | Katy, Texas United States | 06/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If a person likes Spanish and Latin music, they will love this one. I highly recommended this CD."

A Real Gift

Ronald Van Scherpenzeel | Madrid, Spain | 04/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own the original LP from 1959 on Somerset and this must have been one of the first LP's with real stereo sound. On this

original LP there were 6 themes all together and I regularly

listened to it during the past 45 years because it is a beauty.

It faithfully reflects the authentic Spanish flavour although

most of the musical pieces are from not Spanish composers.

Thanks to Amazon I found out it now exists on CD and of course

bought it immediatley with 8 extra themes. I never knew that

the 101 Strings had recorded a second album of the Soul of Spain

so I consider this CD a real gift."