Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, Fantasia para un gentilhombre (Latin Romances) / Isbin

Joaquin Rodrigo (Composer, Performer), Regino Sainz de la Maza (Composer), Agustin Barrios-Mangore (Composer), Zequinha de Abreu (Composer), Antonio Carlos Jobim (Composer), Francisco Tarrega (Composer), Leo Brouwer (Composer), Heitor Villa-Lobos (Composer), Isaac Albeniz (Composer), Lawrence Foster (Conductor), Hugh Wolff (Conductor), Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra), Sharon Isbin (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Joaquin Rodrigo
• Orchestra: Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
• Conductor: Lawrence Foster, Hugh Wolff
• Composer: Joaquin Rodrigo, Regino Sainz de la Maza, Agustin Barrios-Mangore, Zequinha de Abreu, Antonio Carlos Jobim, et al.
• Audio CD (February 1, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Virgin Classics
• ASIN: B000026CIL
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #261,422 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical and pure classical guitar, July 1, 2000

By 

D. Riccomini (Saratoga, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, Fantasia para un gentilhombre (Latin Romances) / Isbin (Audio CD)

The classical guitar can struggle against the volume of an orchestra and that fact is evident in this CD. Isbin's masterful skill is often overwhelmed by the orchestra, something that perhaps could have been lessened with better remastering. Nonetheless, if you appreciate classical guitar played by a real talent, this CD is for you. The unaccompanied Latin Romances illustrate Isbin's work at its best, clean and precise with pure tonal production. Her technical mastery as well as her lyricism are often on display. I found the Schwantner composition, written at Isbin's request, somewhat heavy-handed and hard to listen to. The Rodrigo recordings, even allowing for the occasionally overwhelming orchestra, are bright and crisp. Isbin's feeling for Rodrigo's music comes through clearly in these recordings. Despite the somewhat onerous orchestations, I would recommend this CD to anyone who appreciates clear, precise, lyrical classical guitar. There's definitely enough in here to make this a worthwhile purchase. Two CD set. PS: to get the second CD out, open the inner door from the center out! I'm an engineer, and it took me several tries to figure it out (may because I'm an engineer!).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some gems, January 24, 2008

By 

Redgecko (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, Fantasia para un gentilhombre (Latin Romances) / Isbin (Audio CD)

If you want to hear some diverse recordings of Sharon Isbin gathered in one place for a fair price, then you have arrived. She does a good job on some of my favorites, e.g., Mallorca and Capricho Arabe, though not the best that you'll find. You'll have to listen to Norbert, Bream and Williams for the best Mallorca and other Albeniz transcriptions and to Parkening and Boyd for the best Capricho Arabe.

But what disturbs me the most about this recording is the omission of the lovely first movement (my favorite), called "Preludio", from La Catedral. What conceivable reason could there possibly be to omit this 2 minute movement? That alone cost this recording one star.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great music CD by a great musician, June 28, 2010

By 

New England Pat (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, Fantasia para un gentilhombre (Latin Romances) / Isbin (Audio CD)

Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez is wonderfully presented on CD 1 by the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra and Sharon Isbin's world class talents on guitar. Isbin joins several noteworthy classical guitarists who have played Rodrigo's Concierto as well as the Fantasia that follows. CD 2 shows why Isbin is considered one of the world's best soloists as she interprets the works of several great Latin composers, with "Capricho Arabe", "El Decameron Negro" and "Asturias" as the standout pieces. Paz Abreu's brief work, "Quejas", is a simple but beautiful piece, tinged with melancholy and longing, and the "Invocacion y Danza", though not as popular as the "Concierto de Aranjuez", is another excellent interpretation by Isbin.