Customer Reviews

Fiesta

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Well, we all know the review process is flawed--the one-star review is just heinous, but it will disappear. This CD is magical. I am as non-Latina as they come, but I can't play this (at work) without swaying/dancing in my seat. People stop at my office door and smile--it is that contagious. I agree with other reviewers: Dudamel is a buoyant talent, the real thing, and I for one am thrilled to be around to watch him mature and dazzle. I live in New York where I've seen him twice, but would fly to LA to see him at work again--kudos to them for hiring this extraordinary young man. Please buy this CD--so highly recommended. Absolutely brilliant.

Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela are in their element with this selection of Latin American music. Senemaya and the dances from Estancia are familiar but the remaining tracks (Leonard Bernstein excepted) were by composers entirely new to me.

Sensemaya was based on a poem called Chant to Kill a Snake and was given an archaic feel by Silvestre Revueltas that sounds quite ominous and is magnificently performed by the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra. Margeritena by Inocente Carreno is a majestic piece based on Venezuelan popular songs, and while it may be European in his orchestration Carreno is magnificent in expressing his love of his homeland. I had the feeling that I was given a musical tour of Venezuela. Antonio Estevez's Mediodia en el Liano is a more reflective and elegiac work that describes the grasslands of Venezuela. Originally, this short work was part of a larger suite but the other movements were cut by the composer. Mediodia en el Liano is a very colorful piece that has the feel of awe inspired by the broad landscape.

Danzon No. 2 by Arturo Marquez is a very popular work and is considered Mexico's second national anthem. The music begins quietly and slowly builds across the orchestra as the tempo switches to a dance rhythm. Fuca con Pajarillo by Aldemaro Romero is a tuneful work based on the Venezuelan dance pajarillo. In this piece the dance melody is worked into a fugue with contracting melodies.

The dances from Estancia are played with true passion and certainly challenge the recordings I currently have of the music. Santa Cruz de Pacairigua by Evencio Castellanos is inspired by the festival of the same name that is characterized by parties with a great deal of drinking and dancing. The composer was a collector of Venezuelan folk music and this work show its influence. The final work, Mambo, by Leonard Bernstein is played with true abandon by the orchestra.

This is a marvelous disc that was certainly one of discovery for me and I come away from it wanting to hear more. This is one that is not to be missed if you are interested in Gustavo Dudamel.

Vibrant energy with strikingly mature clarity. Beautiful latin music that swings moods from mellow to dramatic. Dudamel knows how to get the best from this youth orchestra (a somewhat misleading characterization for such a professional sound)!

The person who rated this CD as a 1 star, should be ashame of himself. Is the most absurd comment I'd ever heard. And I feel is my duty to report to the public that this opinion is absolutely WRONG. Gustavo Dudamel is simply the hottest thing to hit classical music since Leonard Bernstein. But in the world of music, why talk? Better to look, and listen. Obviously, this reviewer is in desperate need of learning what the best music is. Hands down, the best CD I own.

This interpretation of many jewels of the latinamerican classical music is a must to understand and enjoy the music south of the border.

The Venezuelan Youth Orchestra plays this music masterfully and you can sense their enjoyment while doing so.

I recommend this recording to anybody interested in clasical music.

The other reviewer is just DEAD WRONG. This cd is a delight. Here's what Grammaphone had to say about it:

[August 2008 CD of the Month] Here is confirmation of a pulsating talent and, perhaps, a glimpse of the future. Dudamel's charisma beats through every bar of this scintillating survey of Latin American music. James Inverne, Gramophone

The first reviewer has absolutely NO idea what he is talking about and obviously does not know anything about music!!! Please IGNORE HIM and forgive him for his ignorance. The Simon Bolivar Orquestra in Dudamel's hands is without doubt, one of the most impressive works done in the world of classical music. Dudamel is a genius of the size of Mozart and we have the privilege of having him is our times. This CD has an immense value, not only for the magnificent performance of he orquestra and the way they transmit the essence of latin America through their music, but also because of the success of a UNIQUE music education program that takes place in Venezuela and that gives birth to the best musicians of the world. Having this CD is a privilege that will delight your ears and an open window to the heart of Latin America.

This may not be the greatest music, but the orchestra sounds terrific. Most important, under the wunderkind Dudamel, the players convey a joyful sense of engagement and appropriately controlled abandon. A real winner!

This is an excellent CD showcasing the work of a brilliant young
director. Anyone not familiar with this new talent will be very
pleasantly surprised. The music is exciting and the direction superb.

This CD is an absolute buy if you are a serious or even casual listener. Being a more traditionalist in music, I wasn't sure what I'd think of the CD -- but I listened and I fell in love. I absolutely love the energy and the virtuosity of the players in this orchestra. It rivals the best of the Karajan recordings in their attention to detail and true *musical* understanding of the pieces. A must have for everyone, I love this disc :)