Customer Reviews

Lecuona: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 3

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This 3rd volume in a series of 5 CDs by pianist Tirino is a veritable treasure, not only due to the master pianist's astounding technical proficiency, but also due to his bravura decision to include a selection of Lecuona's most famous (and demanding) pieces. Pianist Tirino has single-handedly caused an international re-birth and re-discovery of my great-uncle Ernesto's musical works. Devoting a significant number of his life to researching, compiling, transcribing, recording, and performing Lecuona's music, Thomas Tirino's execution of the composer's danzas on this CD illustrates why our family recognizes him, among all post-Lecuona interpreters, as the standard bearer of the composer's music. Tirino's musical prowess shines throughout the valses and contradanzas included in Vol. 3. To listen to this recording is to return nostalgically to those idyllic nights I spent as a youngster in Cuba, listening to my uncle Ernesto perform his pieces at either his farm outside Havana or during his frequent concerts at Havana's theaters, such as the Teatro Payret or Marti. Astounding in his affinity to capture the "zandunga" or flavor in Lecuona's arpeggios and rhythmic nuances, Tirino clearly demonstrates why I, along with the remaining members of the Lecuona family, consider him to be the most representative interpreter of this great body of work. This volume is also important because it introduces and illustrates a side of the Lecuona repertoire not generally known to pianists outside of Cuba and Spain. This CD should be considered a "must" buy for both the serious student of Lecuona music as well as the casual fan of his great repertoire.

The best review I can offer on this disc cannot be contained in my own words. I could quote from many approving and enthusiastic REAL critics from all over the world, but instead I will quote from someone who knew Maestro Lecuona all of his life. Among many handwritten letters and dedicated pictures from Lecuona to this individual, Lecuona states in one of them: “To Manolo Lamas, who has a musical spirit very few possess”. Maestro Lamas, possibly Lecuona’s best musical friend during his lifetime, (in fact-Lecuona was his godfather) INTIMATELY and EXPERTLY knows the maestro’s music. This authority has personally told me that Thomas Tirino is the BEST current living interpreter of the music of Lecuona that he knows. In fact, he says that on many occasions you cannot tell them apart. I suggest that you compare the different interpreters. I’m certain you’ll agree-and beyond that, you’ll profoundly enjoy and be dazzlingly enchanted by the pianistic talent of this wonderful concert artist. One can SENSE, above everything else, the love with which Tirino plays Lecuona’s music.

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I had volume one and two and I thought it was fantastic. After reading about the pianist on the web I realized he was the "real thing" and there are now other pianists trying copy his moves.

This is one of my favorite recording of ALL TIME. Torino's sound is beautiful and his playing shows great skill and total command of the style found in this music. Anyone who says it otherwise is ignorant. Torino is the real Reincarnation of Lecuona. The edit notes on his recording are transcriped from Lecuona's own recording and are welcome edition. What a contribution he has madel to future generation of artists! I am buying the rest of the CDs in the serie. Highly recommmanded!

Tirino's whole Lecuona series is the best Lecuona playing around. The whole series is one perfect disc after another-but this one is the crowning jewel. From begining to end-Tirino's playing is GOD-like. I too believe he sounds like the reincarnation of Lecuona. There is such Cuban style, and LECUONA style in his playing, its almost miraculous. The Rapsodia Cubana arranged by him is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. His Afro-Cuban dances (researched extensively by Tirino from his well written liner notes) are PERFECTLY balanced between Afro-Cuban idioms and romantic piano music, just as Lecuona intended. His Comparsa is just like Lecuona's! The Waltzes are superb. The song transcriptions-touching, poignant, and SO Cuban. From begining to end, this is another winning disc in a winning series. I'm tired of all the other pianists trying to imitate his moves-Tirino is IT!

This is the first Lecuona disc in this series I bought, along with Volume 4. All I can say is WOW! Fantastic music and REALLY REALLY phenomenal playing by Tirino. The Danzas Afro Cubanas are the best ever played-on or off records-and should be used as the standard to compare all future recordings against. Tirino sounds like Lecuona himself reincarnated-so SIMILAR! And Beautiful sound, phrasing, and technique that is breathtaking. I'm definitely buying the other discs in this series. I recommend this one 150%!

Volume 3 of The Complete Piano Music (of Ernesto Lecuona) by Thomas Tirino contains some of the richest interpretations of the piano music of the great Cuban master I have ever heard. In particular, the orchestration of the Rapsodia Cubana is a work of inspiration. Through his considerable pianistic talent and scholarship, Mr. Tirino lends a sophisticated, international touch to this wonderful music that only an artist of his calibre could. The result is music that transcends ethnic and cultural borders and brings the listener into the world of pure sound.

Tirino's Lecuona recordings are the definitive ones for all time. The Rapsodia Cubana in particular is something that Cubans like myself will cherish for many years to come. Bravo!

This guy IS the reincarnation of Lecuona. Accurate, researched to a fault, authentic Cuban playing with real swing, flair, style and Lecuona essence. The best Lecuona playing on or off disc. Forget the first guy's comments, which are racist at best: Tirino is the best interpreter and most faithful to Lecuona's style and Cuban music available, PERIOD, and is world famous for it. Those who really know Lecuona-as more than just "swing", but rather romantic piano music combined with Cuban elegance and Cuban swing of a bygone era, look no further! Invaluable liner notes written by Tirino as well,(with great care in research of Afro-Cuban culture), faultless audiophile sound. He teases and milks every note of phrases with such a wide color palette and combination of real dance-like feel in his rhythms! He has the soul of Lecuona and Cuba in his heart and fingers. As a Cuban myself, words cannot describe my gratitude to this great artist. Go get the other volumes in this series: such interpretations are for the ages to revere.

Two factors led me to acquire the CD titled " Lecuona: The Complete Piano Music, Vol.3" performed by Mr. Thomas Tirino. The first is my admiration and devotion to the music of Maestro Ernesto Lecuona. The second, the fact that I am Cuban and love the rich musical traditions of my native country. After listening and analyzing on several occasions Mr. Tirino's CD, and comparing it with various other famous and not-so-famous pianists, I came to the conclusion that Mr. Tirino's playing does not go beyond the level of an advanced piano student such as one finds in music conservatories.... I must also comment on the way Mr. Tirino treats the agogic accent, most notably the "rubato" which he completely misunderstands. All his melodic lines are lacking the necessary intensity and shape to achieve the desired climax. In the Afro-Cuban Dances, the powerful rhythmic accents of the left hand are devoid of any "zandunga" and/or "sabor" that are so characteristically theirs. There is something else I must mention: in the Afro-Cuban dance "La Comparsa", Mr. Tirino tries his hand at composition by adding new notes and rhythmic figurations that appear nowhere in the original munuscripts of Lecuona's works! ....