Christopher Parkening with David Brandon ~ Virtuoso Duets

Christopher Parkening (Artist), David Brandon (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 15, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Angel Records
• ASIN: B000002RQ9
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #267,144 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Danza Espanola, for orchestra (from "La Vida Breve")

2. Miller's Dance

3. De los álamos vengo, madre

4. Therezinha de Jesús, for piano (Cirandas No. 1), A. 220/1

5. El Pańo Moruno

6. Danza de la pastora

7. Danza de la gitana

8. Song of the Will O' The Wisp

9. Intermezzo, for guitar(s) (arrangement from Goyescas)

10. Prelude No.4 in E major

11. Fugue No.4 in E major

12. Hymn of Christian Joy for 2 guitars (prelude in classic style)

13. Prelude for 2 guitars (in the Baroque Style)

14. Sanctify us by Thy Goodness

15. Offertorio

16. Canon (Allegro), arranged for 2 guitars (from the Sonate en Canon No. 1

17. Le Rossignol

18. Drewries Accordes

19. Watkins Ale

20. La Volta

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Parkening and Brandon Duo, December 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Christopher Parkening with David Brandon ~ Virtuoso Duets (Audio CD)

This duo plays very well; however, the best tracks of this CD are on the Parkening "Great Recordings" double CD. Thus buying that CD would get you the best of this CD plus a lot of other good recordings. The duo's performance of "La Vida Breve," "Intermezzo," and "Evening Dance" are my favorites (and are included on the "Great Recordings" CD).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Nothing is more beautiful than a guitar, save perhaps two," ..., October 24, 2005

By 

A music critic - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christopher Parkening with David Brandon ~ Virtuoso Duets (Audio CD)

wrote Frederic Chopin. Those who enjoy classical guitar music find special pleasure in duets. The repertoire for duets is less frequently played, yet offers more possibilities for textural and harmonic effects than solo guitar. In such capable hands as Christopher Parkening and David Brandon, few musical experiences could give greater listening pleasure.

This album is, sadly, no longer in print and thus makes it even more collectable. Please buy this CD before you loose the chance to hear some the most beautifully played classical guitar duets ever recorded.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Is it safe?, February 11, 2008

By 

Paul Magnussen (Campbell, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Christopher Parkening with David Brandon ~ Virtuoso Duets (Audio CD)

Christopher Parkening is clearly the bigger name on this album, but I should like to say that I do not think this should be taken literally. David Brandon is his duet partner, not accompanist; and therefore I consider it poor form that the former's name should be on the cover at twice the point size of the latter's. (Of course, I do not attribute the blame for this to Mr. Parkening, who would surely know that whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased [Luke 14:11].)

Mr. Parkening brings to this project the same qualities as to his previous ones: namely, good technique, good tone, and a conservative choice of repertoire.

Much of the album follows paths so well trodden by other duos that they must have worn grooves in the ground. The "Intermezzo from Goyescas" and Falla's "Spanish Dance Nș 1" have been played by just about everyone there is, including Presti/Lagoya. The last-named also play Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Prelude & Fugue Nș 4, the only one of the 24 they ever recorded, which appears here too. The best version of the "Spanish Dance", however, is certainly that of Julian Bream and John Williams, who also play the complete "Dolly Suite" from which the "Berceuse" is extracted.

The "Album of Spanish and South American Folk Songs for two guitars" (published by Schott, GA91), of which "El Paño Moruno" is a sample, has been recorded in its entirety by Konrad Ragossnig & Walter Feybli.

Stepping outside the tried and proven, though, we find some intelligent choices for transcription -- although what had to be done to "Le Rossignol" and "Drewries Accordes" ("trans. Russ & Parkening") is unclear to me, since they can both be played straight from the original lute tablature, and versions for guitar have been published for decades.

The Zipoli transcription works well, and the Séverac is a particularly attractive miniature. Halffter's "Danza de la Pastora" is a terrific piece of music, akin in spirit to the "Spanish Dance"; but here I confess that I find both the transcription and the playing rather naff (in part because the repeats are omitted), and I far prefer the version for solo guitar by Marc Teicholz.

On balance, though, this is a well played and pleasant album, and you can safely give it as a present to your Auntie Aggie without fear that that she will be offended by any of the atonal graunches, pings and bonks etc. that grace some of the modern guitar repertory. The booklet notes are helpful and reasonably accurate, except for a typo that makes Plácido Domingo look as if he's a Serb.