VIVA ESPAÑA - anthology
CD1 76.53
CHABRIER España - Boston SO/Seiji
Ozawa
GLINKA Capriccio Brillante -
LSO/Mackerras
TARREGA Recuerdos de la Alhambra - Narciso
Yepes
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Capriccio Espagnol - Berlin
PO/Maazel
BIZET Carmen Suite No 1 -
LSO/Abbado
TURINA Danzas Fantasticas - Monte-Carlo Opera
Orch/Frémaux
ALBENIZ Asturias - Narciso
Yepes
DEBUSSY La Soirée dans Grenade -
Sviatoslav Richter
DEBUSSY La Sérénade
Interrompue - Dino Ciani
DEBUSSY La Puerta Del Vino - Dino Ciani
CD2 77.44
DE FALLA El Sombrero de Tres Picos - Berlin
RSO/Maazel
GRANADOS El fandango del Candil - Jean-Marc
Luisada
GRANADOS Quejas o La Maja y el Ruiseñor -
Jean-Marc Luisada
RAVEL Rapsodie Espagnole - Boston
SO/Ozawa
ALBENIZ Ibéria (orch ARBÓS) - Suisse
Romande/Ansermet
(rec 1959-1992)
DG PANORAMA 469 253-2
[CD1 76.53+CD2
77.44]
Crotchet
Given the wide range of vintage collected here the sound is pretty consistent
.. and consistently good at that.
The Rimsky, Ravel and de Falla are familiar 'cuts' but otherwise this set
dips into and gathers up strappingly good archive recordings of some
unfashionable repertoire. It is not the most obvious selection of Iberiana
and I can imagine some being put off by a seeming 'grab-bag' of Latino oddments.
In fact the mix is not bad at all and is pretty generous.
Ozawa's orchestra almost redeems a mechanistic España with
some juicy woodwind playing but ultimately even the spectacular recording
cannot help. Glinka's Capriccio on Jota Aragonesa is portentous and
rowdy captured in belligerent sound. Tarrega's classic Recuerdos is
nicely despatched by Yepes (a discreet DG house artiste if ever there was
one!) as also is Asturias. The first true hit on the disc is Maazel
in Rimsky's Capriccio excitingly blowing the cobwebs out of the way
and kicking over the traces in style. A pity though that this overlaps with
the all-Rimsky Panorama set. Surely there was an alternative Capriccio
in the DG vaults. Abbado's LSO Carmen suite is insensitive -
glitzy but insensitive. Turina's Danzas are done with a poetic hand.
Frémaux was much underestimated. His EMI recording of the El Cid
suite for example is a classic of the catalogue. I recall hearing a
Mère l'Oie concert he did in the early 1970s in Bristol which
was quite overwhelming. The Monte Carlo orchestra play as if possessed. Ciani
and Richter contribute three tender Debussy items. Certainly these are handled
with more feeling than Luisada in two movements from Goyescas.
Maazel is a shade too deliberate in the emphatically accented Three Cornered
Suite. This otherwise has much the same slash and swipe as the Rimsky
Capriccio. Ozawa's Rhapsodie Espagnole is a contrast with his
España - much more successful. Once again this is the same
version as is included in the Ravel Panorama set. The celebratory
Iberia is serviceable and it is rare to encounter the complete half
hour suite.
A word about the trilingual programme notes. These are compact and Kenneth
Chalmers has something to say. The imaginative timeline feature on each of
the Panoramas should not pass without approval. Good to see music in its
political, theatrical and artistic context.
Not exactly a winning mix but with enough to satisfy.
Good-ish at the price.
Rob Barnett
