It is good to have this beautiful music available on CD. I have loved the Cuatro Madrigales Amatorios for many years in the version with orchestra as performed by the Louisville Orchestra. I have the same kind of affection for this music that I have for Les Nuits d'Été of Berlioz, and that comparison is apt as to the character of the music, given that the Berlioz is totally French, and the Rodrigo totally Iberian.

Which is why it saddens me to report that although the music on this disk is excellent, the performances are not always worthy of it. Isabel Monar sings with great conviction and intelligence, but at times finds herself beyond her limit of control of pitch and timbre. Pianist McClure plays very well in the solo pieces; but just occasionally when the going gets tough in accompanying Ms. Monar he betrays the habits of a rehearsal pianist - that is, he tends to slap at the insecure notes, pound the secure ones and to accomplish little in phrasing or dynamics. Violinist Voronkova also plays with passion and intelligence, but, for example, some of the fierce double-stopping of the third of the Cançons Valencianes is on the edge of her technique. We sympathise with these artists in their efforts to play well for us, but their occasional lack of success distracts us from the music.

The finest performances on the disk, and some of the finest music, are the atmospheric Canciones Sefardies, numbers 1, 2, 4 and 6 from the Cançons Valencianes and the second and third movements of the virtuosic Sonata Pimpante. The solo piano music is played exquisitely. The artists deserve to be remembered for these. Hopefully this disk will inspire additional recordings of this marvellous music.

The Columna Música producers continue their curious habit of presenting original language texts and translations on separate pages in the booklet. There is almost no information at all on the music other than a rave review by Xaver Montsalvatge of this recording. The Álbum de Cecilia, subtitled pieces for little hands, is also available in a guitar arrangement. The music is simple, but very worthy of the thoughtful performances it here receives. The Sephardic Songs are in the Ladino language, a mix of Spanish and Hebrew. Nani, nani is, not surprisingly, a lullaby.

Paul Shoemaker