The Piazzolla Project

Artemis Quartet (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 30, 2009)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Virgin Classics
• ASIN: B00221U4IS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #151,501 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

For the past 10 years, Artemis Quartet cellist Eckart Runge has been engaged in a side gig with pianist Jacques Ammon, entitled "Celloproject", playing the music of tango-master Astor Piazzolla and other Latin-tinged composers. Now the two bring the project to the rest of the Artemis Quartet, for a recording that pulses with the beat of South America.

Runge explains: "The idea of the Piazzolla Project was to bring the authentic sonic and expressive palette of the tango to life with the inexhaustible possibilities of the string quartet, the piano trio, and the piano quintet. Sometimes melting into the melancholy tones of the bandoneon, sometimes breaking out into the raw heterogeneity of the tango quintet, it represented a completely new encounter with sound, rhythm, style, and gesture. It was a pleasure for me to share with my quartet colleagues the experience I had gathered over the years in my engagement with this culture. They were enthused by the depth and variety of the tango. For all of us, this music was a great inspiration and it exercised an enriching influence on our involvement with the classical chamber repertoire."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Prize collection of Piazzolla, October 21, 2009

By	BowHead (Northwest Arkansas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

One of the finest collections of Astor Piazzolla's music on disc. Superbly performed by the quartet and pianist, blending classical playing and jazzy interpretations while staying true to the spirit of Tango Nuevo.

4.0 out of 5 stars Classical Quartet Takes on Astor Piazzolla with Passion and Fury, July 9, 2009

By	Brian Weis (aka: Brainwise) (Bucks County, PA, United States) - See all my reviews

At the very least, the tango music of Astor Piazzolla is an interesting choice for a classically trained string quartet. And adventurous as well. The first six tracks team the quartet with pianist Jacques Ammon. I'm not sure I can picture five people dancing the tango *together*, but now I think I know what it would sound like -- steaming, tense, and just a hair from being over the edge. By contrast, the last four tracks (Suite del Angel for string quartet) are not nearly as frenetic or wrathful, but they are no less impassioned.

If you have the slightest interest in tango, do yourself a favor and give this release a spin.