Boccherini: Guitar Quintets

Luigi Boccherini (Composer), Pepe Romero (Performer), Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Pepe Romero, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
• Composer: Luigi Boccherini
• Audio CD (January 18, 1994)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B00000417Y
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,840 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars barefoot kicker, January 10, 2007

By 

David A. Baer (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Boccherini: Guitar Quintets (Audio CD)

Boccherini's Quintets for Guitar and Strings do not highlight the guitar as solo instrument in the way that better-known Baroque concerti frame and focus upon their respective solo instruments. Rather, the instrument insinuates itself into a company of strings and plays along with them, sometimes providing a steady background and occasionally emerging as a conventional soloist.

Like a soccer player who becomes an NFL kicker, this unexpected entree of the guitar into an unfamiliar environment displays pleasing crossover skills and unanticipated potentialities.

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble gives a truly splendid performance. Boccherini writes for a vivacious violin, and he certainly finds his desideratum among this ensemble. Indeed, the violin is arguably more prominent in this music than the guitar.

One does not finish a careful hearing of this performance astonished by Pepe Romero's technical virtuosity. Boccherini does not set this artist up for such an outcome. Rather, one concludes with admiration and gratitude for Romero's ability to sublimate certain soloist prerogatives and integrate himself fully into this string-ish company, where he plays with evident cameraderie.

The quality of the sounds produced by the Philips engineers is stunning, a word one strives not to use loosely.

¡Viva Romero and his tribe!

Field goals and extra points, after all, win football games.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vivid & stylish performances, October 25, 2006

By 

Tom Poore (South Euclid, OH) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Boccherini: Guitar Quintets (Audio CD)

Pepe Romero teams up with members from the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra. Though originally released in the late 1970's, this is still the best recording of the guitar quintets of Luigi Boccherini. The playing is first rate, and the balance between guitar and strings is just right. (In most such recordings the guitar is either inaudible or unnaturally bloated.) Personally I'm not fond of all Boccherini's guitar quintets--one critic grumped that they're more fun to play than to hear. But No. 4 with its famous "Fandango" and No. 9 "La Ritirata di Madrid" are delightful.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Surfeit of Riches, March 16, 2009

By 

Michael J. Ludvik (Ocala, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Boccherini: The Guitar Quintets (MP3 Download)

In my opinion this is not music to listen to intently; I don't believe it was written to be listened to that way. There is sameness to all the quintets although none are exactly the same. Listen casually and let it burrow its way into your mind and spirit, leave its unique simple beauty behind to be savored. Boccherini was a very serious composer of very light music and for his supreme achievement he deserves respect and gratitude. The works are marvelously well performed. I witheld the fifth star for the sound which strikes me as too soft and plush for the music; I would prefer a bit of austerity in the sound to bring out the ripeness of the music. I hope some of this makes some sense to somebody.