Being an admirer of many classical composers, ranging from Beethoven to Shostakovich, my tastes had previously been confined to the more popular orchestral pieces, some chamber music and some operatic highlights. To many people, classical guitar music can be perceived as being somewhat lightweight – more likely to be used as some sort of background music than anything to be taken seriously. This CD does more to refute that theory than anything else that I am likely to come across. The Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra, 12 Etudes and 5 Preludes amount to approximately 70 minutes of pure meditative delight – clear, crisp passages of high quality playing by the ensemble and no little virtuosity by the soloist. The Concerto somehow reminds me of Gershwin and it is so easy on the ear – 18 minutes of music with a definite Latin-American influence, as is to be expected from Villa-Lobos. The Etudes and Preludes provide a test of the guitarist’s technical skills combined with musical content of the highest quality. I just have to keep on coming back to this CD time and again, discerning more and more from each individual etude and imagining in my mind the delicate fingerwork and intense concentration of the musician. I’m no musician myself but there is a certain lasting quality about this whole performance.
Taken as a whole, we have over 70 minutes of pure entertainment – easy on the mind and soul. This CD will remain at my own fingertips’ reach for many years to come. I would recommend it for anyone wishing to be introduced to this underrated sub-genre of the classical repertoire. You won’t be disappointed. (by G.Robinson)
The original frontcovers from 1971 + 1976
For any fan of classical Spanish guitar, this CD is a must. I often feel that no two guitarists play the same piece. Their own style is a slightly new creation. Yepes was among the finest interpreters of Villa-lobos and his technique and taste are sublime. What more can one say? Well, only that this CD seems perfectly remastered. (by grouset2010)
12 Etudes for Guitar + 5 Preludes were original recorded in 1971
Concerto for Guitar and small Orchestra was original recorded in 1976
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887 – 1959)
Personnel:
Narciso Yepes (guitar)
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London Symphony Orchestra conducted by García Navarro
García Navarro & Narciso Yepes
Tracklist:
Concerto for Guitar and small Orchestra:
01. Allegro preciso 5.23
02. Andantino e andante 8.11
03. Allegretto non troppo 4.33
12 Etudes for Guitar:
04. Etude No.1 in E minor (Allegro non troppo) 1.44
05. Etude No.2 in A major (Allegro) 1.37
06. Etude No.3 in D major (Allegro moderato) 2.49
07. Etude No.4 in G major (Un peu modéré – Grandioso) 4.25
08. Etude No.5 in C major (Andantino – Poco meno) 4.24
09. Etude No.6 in E minor (Poco Allegro) 2.08
10. Etude No.7 in E major (Très animé – Moins) 2.34
11. Etude No.8 in C sharp minor (Modéré) 3.40
12. Etude No.9 in F sharp minor (Très peu amimé) 4.15
13. Etude No.10 in B minor (Très animé-Un peu animé – Vif) 2.12
14. Etude No.11 in E minor (Lent – Animé – Poco meno) 3.46
15. Etude No.12 in A minor (Animé – Più mosso …) 2.25
5 Preludes:
16. No. 1 in E minor 4.54
17. No. 2 in E 3.08
18. No. 3 in A minor 3.10
19. No. 4 in E minor 3.42
20. No. 5 in D 4.24
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
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