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PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) María de Buenos Aires Suite [20:48] Verano Porteño [8:58] Milonga del Ángel [6:18] Chiquilín de Bachín [4:49] Libertango [2:46] Oblivion [3:53] Balada para un Loco [4:29]
Versus Ensemble;
Enrique Moratalla (vocals); Maria Rey-Joly (soprano); Horacio
Ferrer (reciter, sung and spoken texts)
rec. Caja Rural Auditorium, Granada, December 2006 except Milonga
de la Annunciación from María de Buenos Aires Suite,
rec. live, Tango World Meeting, Valparaiso, Chile, January
2007 NAXOS 8.570523 [52:15]
There seems to be no sign
of abatement of the pyroclastic Piazzolla lava flow from
record companies great and small. This latest Naxos contribution
to quasi-bandoneon studies - there is no bandoneon on the
disc - comes from the Versus Ensemble of violin, soprano/alto
saxophone, piano, guitar, and double-bass. Piazzolla arrangements
are by now commonplace so we shouldn’t be especially surprised
by the line-up, effective as it is in its own way.
And
the arrangements are certainly not without merit. It allows
the violin to soar strongly in Milonga
del Ángel and for the saxophone to rove over a
pliant bass line. The finale of this has a good kick as well – bracing
is the word. The languid piano that introduces Verano
Porteño presages a thinning of texture to the violin,
which is in its turn assailed by the resurgent piano – the
thing becoming infected with overwrought hyper-drive; plenty
of pounding piano and Bach quotations.
Enrique Moratalla’s vocal on Chiquilín de Bachín has
just enough nicotine-stained build-up to keep sentimentality
at bay, though it’s a close run thing. As ever I am underwhelmed
by Piazzolla’s great hit Oblivion, which I stubbornly
persist in thinking just about the most tiresome thing I’ve
ever heard. Certainly this arrangement does its best to keep
lachrymosity at arm’s length. Balada para un Loco begins
as a recitation by Moratalla over piano accompaniment, who
then sings the remainder of the song. Granted the title is
self-explanatory but this is still something of a hysterical
arrangement.
By far the biggest piece here is the operatically inclined María
de Buenos Aires Suite. This is a strange old affair.
The last piece of the five was recorded separately, at
the Tango World Meeting, Valparaiso, Chile, whereas everything
else was taped at Caja Rural Auditorium in Granada – though
I should add that the aural difference isn’t especially
noticeable. Moratalla reprises his role and he’s joined
by classical soprano Maria Rey-Joly – the notes err in
omitting her from the first song, Milonga Carrieguera, and
they’re equally confusing about which numbers Horacio Ferrer
recites, implying several – actually so far as I can tell
only the last, recorded in Chile, which makes sense. The
personnel attribution details really needed editorial tooth
combing I’m afraid.
This left me apathetic. The arrangements are adequate but
not especially imaginative, the playing is committed but
not always wise. Rather like the hunting of whales I think
it’s high time for a moratorium on discs of Piazzolla arrangements.