Soul of the Tango: The Music of Astor Piazzolla [ENHANCED]

Edwin Barker (Performer), Hector Console (Performer), Yo-Yo Ma (Performer), Jorge Calandrelli (Composer), Astor Piazzolla (Composer), Horacio Malvicino (Performer), Odair Assad (Performer), Oscar Castro-Neves (Performer), Sergio Assad (Performer), Frank Corliss (Performer), Gerardo Gandini (Performer), Kathryn Stott (Performer), Leonardo Marconi (Performer), Antonio Agri (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Edwin Barker, Hector Console, Yo-Yo Ma, Horacio Malvicino, Odair Assad, et al.
• Composer: Jorge Calandrelli, Astor Piazzolla
• Audio CD (October 2, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000029XQ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,425 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( P ) > Piazzolla, Astor
  #8 in	Music > Classical > Chamber Music > Duets
  #9 in	Music > Classical > Featured Performers, A-Z > ( M ) > Ma, Yo-Yo

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
Yo-Yo Ma might seem like an unlikely protagonist for the tango, but this intrepid musical explorer has taken his task seriously, collaborating with experienced tango musicians. Ma even participates in a posthumous collaboration with one 1987 Piazzolla recording. Furthermore, while he's obviously the headliner here, he doesn't dominate the arrangements nearly as much as he does the billing and photography of the disc. While the result isn't your essential Piazzolla album (that would have to include more of the composer's own playing), it's an atmospheric and convincing collection, perhaps a good introduction for those who don't know the music. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A feast for the ears and the soul, June 22, 2000

By	Shirley Li (USA) - See all my reviews

Yo Yo Ma has always been the frontrunner when it comes to experiencing new water in music. In this fantastic collection of Astor Piazzolla's best known tangos, Ma's breathtaking technique fuses w/ other instrumentalists, who happen to be Piazzolla's closest colleagues when he was alive. Instead of obtruding w/ his virtuous play on the cello, Ma's cello plays the role of a coordinator as he seams soul into the ensemble w/ a wide range of instruments. Yet always in concordance and an odd sense of balance, this recording exhilerates its listeners, and plus the video bonus that enables listeners to observe Ma's playing in the midst of tango dancers, even the dullest classical lovers would want to jump up and forsake the atmosphere of tradition. I highly recommended Fugota, with zesty hight notes of violin with Ma's ambiguous spiccato, this track is a seductive force that sweeps you off your feet. The curves, the turns, the surprises of tango are so cantagious that you cannot turn your heart away from this charmer.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderfully passionate, December 11, 1999

By	Eugene Mah "physics geek" (Charleston, SC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Yo-Yo Ma's rendition of Libertango is magnificent. Full of passion. Makes you want to get up and dance! And plug the CD into your computer to watch the video, an interview with Yo-Yo Ma and pictures. Buy it now.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tango for dummies, September 20, 2002

By	Enrique Torres "Rico" (San Diegotitlan, Califas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

As stated by the editorial review this is a perfect disc for the casual tango listener or one not compltely familiar with the music of Astor Piazzolla. Yo-Yo (can I call him that?)breathes an exhillirating breath of fresh air into the tango, with vigorous interpretations that evoke the past yet sound contemporary. Being a casual listener of both classical and tango this fits a listener like me just perfect, if you are not sure what you are listening to and it sounds good than it is good! This is a super disc to listen to when one needs to become energized, relax or just contemplate the beauty of life in all it's manifestations. In other words it is music for anytime, anywhere ,whatever the mood. The music takes you to beautiful places without leaving your living room, creating a mood for all seasons. This is one of those discs that finds a spot on the rotation quite often and if you like the tango this is one that belongs in your collection. Recommended for those that like the cello of Yo-Yo Ma and the music of romantic Argentina by Piazzolla without any airs.