Giuliani: Guitar Concerto No. 1; Rodrigo: Concerto Madrigal; Sones en la Giralda [Hybrid SACD] [Hybrid SACD - DSD]

Mauro Giuliani (Artist), Joaquin Rodrigo (Artist), Antonio de Almeida (Artist), Neville Marriner (Artist), Angel Romero (Artist), Pepe Romero (Artist), Catherine Michel (Artist), Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Artist), Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 25, 2004)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Hybrid SACD - DSD
• Label: Pentatone
• ASIN: B000218YQO
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,188 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #31 in Music > Classical > Instruments > Strings > Harp

Track Listings

1. Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A major, Op. 30 (versions for guitar & orch; gt. & string quartet): Allegro maestoso

2. Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A major, Op. 30 (versions for guitar & orch; gt. & string quartet): Andantino (Siciliano)

3. Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A major, Op. 30 (versions for guitar & orch; gt. & string quartet): Polonaise (Allegretto)

4. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Fanfarre (Allegro marziale)

5. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Madrigal (Andante nostalgico)

6. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Entrada (Allegro vivace)

7. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Pastorcito, to que vienes, pastorcito, tu que vas (Allegro vivace)

8. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Girardilla (Presto)

9. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Pastoral (Allegro)

10. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Fandango

11. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Arieta (Andante nostalgico)

12. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Zapateado (Allegro vivace)

13. Concierto madrigal for 2 guitars & orchestra: Caccia a la española (Allegro vivace-Andante nostalgico)

14. Sones en la giralda (Fantasia sevillana), for harp & chamber orchestra

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recorded in the 1970s? Is that a joke? You have to listen to this recording to believe it., November 1, 2008

By 

Tonskimojster "ClassicalTech" (Miami, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Giuliani: Guitar Concerto No. 1; Rodrigo: Concerto Madrigal; Sones en la Giralda [Hybrid SACD] (Audio CD)

This is the second RQR (Remastered Quadro Recording) I own. Just got it in the mail from Amazon today. I wonder why it has taken so long for the general public to be able to fully enjoy these master tapes. These were recordings made by Philips back in the day of quadraphonic and have now been unbelievably well remastered by a company called Polyhymnia to multi-channel Super Audio CD. These are not the quadraphonic recordings that gave a bad name to the format because they would have the instruments in the four corners with you in the middle of the ensemble. The rear channels of these recordings contain hall reverberation only. The immersion in the recording space is just fantastic, as is the image and balance of the guitars, harp and orchestra. Not a bit of brittle in the sound of the guitars which is usually captured too close or enhanced in the treble beyond recognition. Just lush, maybe slightly more distant, laid-back, pure Spanish guitar sound. My reference is the concert hall. I don't seek a "studio sound". I appreciate the real thing more than the better-than-real, on-steroids sound; so if that's you, maybe listen to it first. Polyhymnia did not force a remix to 5.1 channels. They kept it in the original 4.0 intended by the original producer. When one hears these recordings, one wonders what in the world have recording companies been doing in the past thirty five years... Why aren't all music catalogs made of this quality?
Anyway. The renditions are musically very satisfying and the works are pretty well-known. You can't go wrong on these interpretations. The last Rodrigo piece, Sones en la Giralda, has quite a "modern", (read 20th-century) flavor, utilizing really adventurous harmonies and textures (compared to Rodrigo's other, more well-known pieces). Very tastefully treated though. Just one of those discs that I intend to listen to over and over again. If you have a multi-channel rig, do yourself a favor: Buy this SACD, set the volume loud, as it would be in a real concert hall - not louder but not softer - dim the lights down, send the kids to the park, breathe deep and press play. After about an hour you'll know what I mean.